I’m extremely proud to have been born and raised in Scranton, PA. — home of the anthracite coal industry, Crystal Club soda company and hundreds of thousands hard working, under-employed, blue collar Polish Americans for whom Cooper’s is fine dining (I was a busboy at Cooper’s in the 80′s). It’s easy to make fun of Scranton but the truth is I miss it every single day.
Part of the fun of watching The Office is picking out the references to The Electric City that pepper most episodes. You’ll find this week’s details after the jump.
Note: minor spoilers. If you don’t want to know, stop reading now.
Opening scene
Michael pronounces it “Scra-in,” just as every native does.
Michael and Jan’s kitchen
There’s a picture of Amore Restaurant on the ‘fridge, which is a real place in neighboring Clarks Summit. A menu for Abe’s Deli is also on the ‘fridge, which is a real kosher deli in Scranton. In fact, it’s within walking distance of Dunder-Mifflin’s supposed location. An Abe’s menu also graces Dunder’s staff break room.
The hot dog stand
There is a hot dog joint in Scranton called Coney Island Texas Lunch, but the one in tonight’s episode isn’t it. Actually, there are two. The owners had a bit of a fight maybe 10 years ago, and the result is Coney Island Texas Lunch on one corner, and Coney Island Lunch on another (“Texas” arrived first, technically).
The former was in the news recently when an arson set fire to it. No worries, though — the owners intend to re-open in May.
The place is legendary for menu two items: Texas wiener (hot dog + chili) and Texas hamburger (burger + chili). You can sit at your table and read graffiti that’s 70 years old. In fact, it’s just the kind of place I think Jim and Pam would like to visit.
Not a lot this week, but enough for a bit of fun.
10 years ago? I hate to burst your bubble, but that happened when we were in high school. Try 20 years ago!!! I know – oh my God!!! The original is the best though. And you can feed a family of 5 for like a quarter. Exaggerating, but you get the picture.
Thanks for the Scranton references from The Office. Are you doing these recaps for all of the episodes, or do you know if someone else is? I am a former Northeastern PA resident and enjoy reading about the Scarnton references on the Office. Thanks.
Jeff
I haven’t in a while, but I might start up again. It was a lot of fun.
I am soon visiting Scranton with my girlfriend, and we both love the office. I was really hoping to take to the exact coney island that was in this episode. Do you know where the one in the episode is at, The Detroit Coney Island, or did they just add that in and it’s not really anywhere near Scranton? Please and thank you. ~Kenneth
Kenneth,
Enjoy Scranton! It’s a very fun place for Office fans to visit. As far as I know, they only filmed in Scranton once, and it wasn’t at Coney Island. So they scenes you saw in that episode were probably shot in California.
However, as self-respecting Scrantonians, the workers at The Office would visit the city’s original Coney Island Texas Lunch:
http://www.coneyislandofscranton.com/CIOS1/Welcome.html
Have fun!