https://external-preview.redd.it/X5j6Arip7Sz96wJ4hZ7igpl6ElD-m4jv07uwYfyitsA.jpg?auto=webp&s=085dfca2e67e7393a6ed0c2f9aaed84f8c30f92d
TIL, Actor Steve Carell bought a small town general store because he wanted to preserve a piece of history that represents a gathering place and gives people a sense of community.
He’s more of a behind the scene kind of owner, the person who said he bought it to keep it open has it right. He has some signed stuff for sale in the store, stops in sometimes, and randomly calls the local radio station to chat and talk up the store. It’s a really nice old general store, lots of cool local items and penny candy type stuff.
I met Mr. Carell when I was in Los Angeles some years back, around the time Little Miss Sunshine came out. It was at a professional building…the kind with doctor and dentist offices. I had nothing particular that I wanted to say, other than a quick thanks for making enjoyable films. He was super gracious, down to earth, and we spent about 5 minutes talking about films we mutually liked. It was my only brush with stardom, but it made a very positive impression. He could have just nodded and walked briskly by, but he took the time to visit with a fan, and was super-nice and engaged.
What is the most important thing for a company? Is it the cash flow? Is it the inventory? Nuh-uh.
It’s the people. The people.
My proudest moment here was not when I increased profits by 17% or when I cut expenses without losing a single employee. No. It was a young Guatemalan guy. First job in the country; barely spoke English. He came to me, and said, “Mr. Scott, would you be the godfather of my child?”
Wow. Wow. Didn’t work out in the end. We had to let him go. He sucked.
Quote from Carell who said his sister in law will be running the store and claims he will occasionally work there if time permits:
*“This is much more of an emotional investment than a business one….I saw an opportunity to help to preserve a little piece of history. I also felt that places like the Marshfield Hills General Store represent a gathering place, and give people a sense of community. These spots are growing more and more scarce. I hope to keep this particular one alive and well.”*
He could afford this, but not Scott’s Tots? That’s really messed up.
Jeffrey Dean Morgan and Paul Rudd did the same with a candy store.
When I first glanced at this the font stopped the top line at “Steve Carell bought a small town” and I thought this was going to be a very different story about a rich asshole.
Why is there such a high concentration of funny people from Massachusetts? A bunch of the cast of The Office is from MA. So many people from SNL. Almost every stand up comedian. Is it the small town general stores that makes people funny?
I wish someone could have done that for our little shop. The Scott variety store was this great old building in the middle of my little town in Scott, Ohio. The old lady that ran it had such an eclectic range of things. It was an antique store, dollar store, had farm collectables and whatever people wanted to donate. More importantly it was a little grocery store. Wal-Mart and other stores are at least 10 minutes and a round trip to get something basic was an hour trip. She gave credit to anyone in town that needed it and you only had to pay if you could. She kept track of everything in a notebook and knew everyone. Then last summer someone bought it with the intention of keeping it open and improving, only to close it down due to mismanagement. Shame that it’s gone now.
Henry Ford literally changed the entire face of America. Before the Model T, there were virtually no roads, only the wealthy had autos, and so America was limited in travel to where they could walk, or maybe take a horse. So everything was local, including a small country store. The Model T changed that….hard and fast.
He realized that, 10 years or so in, that things like small country stores, chapels, blacksmith shops, etc. were disappearing because of HIM and his invention. So he started buying them. And many were moved to Greenfield Village in Dearborn. Thomas Edison’s workshop. The Wright Brothers bicycle shop. But many were left in place, and funded so that they could continue to exist, like a tiny chapel in New England, supported by his fundings.
Same idea as what Carell is doing, only writ large.
If this general store goes under, he’ll just start another one. And another and another. He has no shortage of company names…
I would love to visit his store. I’ll bet he’s never there though.
This could easily be the plot of a Steve Carell family comedy.
It’s all a cover story for the Threat Level Midnight HQ.
The store itself is gorgeous: https://marshfieldhillsgeneralstore.com/
I can see why he wants to preserve it.
I’m curious about how that actually works. How does a store operate if its very existence is subsidized? Do prices ever fluctuate? Is there a reason to fire someone if they stop taking the job very seriously since income doesn’t really matter anymore?
Viva MarshVegas!
🙂
What did I tell you about yeppers?
This sounds like the start of a heartfelt movie that doesn’t do so well at the box office. Good on him though!
Thank you Steve, for doing this.
I’m currently sitting in an airport in Florida, having spent a week surrounded by Walgreens and chain restaurants and everything I strongly dislike about our modern corporate culture.
Wish I could have spent the week driving though country roads in New England, visiting small inns and supporting businesses owned by locals.
I heard Micheal Scott manages that store
I’ll take “Actors everyone loves” for $800 Alex
I’m actually from this town! It’s a very common occurrence to see Steve around here especially at this general store. He is such a friendly guy, he’s always all for chatting with fans and pictures/autographs etc. keep doing you Steve!!
Now, he should open a shoe store for men called Shoe La La!
This is my hometown and it’s awesome. He’s there sometimes and has signed Office merchandise tucked away in the back.
I grew up biking to that general store for penny candy and drinks with friends all the time. So this always is appreciated from me and all my friends.
Thanks Steve if you’re reading this. 🙂
And here in the freezer section we have our store brand frozen potatoes, scotts tots.
OP posts a completely innocuous, nice story involving a wealthy entertainer, who by all accounts is a great guy…so of course a bunch of salty fuckers chime in to say how it’s just for attention, a tax shelter, no one gathers at general stores, big corp stores are better, etc etc.
Man, some of you sad sack fuckheads need to find some happiness in your lives.
Yay Marshfield. Shmurdafield gang on the up