Craig Koplien: Weather or Not

The Dunder Mifflin Store

Story Created: Oct 9, 2008

Story Updated: Oct 9, 2008

The Dunder Mifflin Store

Craig Koplien

email:  ckoplien@todaystmj4.com

How funny is this?  According to the story below from the Scranton Times-Tribune, a real store with all-things Dunder Mifflin will open in Scranton.

Awesome.

NBC branches out with ‘Office’ sales

Dunder Mifflin has a Scranton branch. And now the NBC Universal Store does, too.

BY JOSH MCAULIFFE
STAFF WRITER
Published: Tuesday, October 7, 2008 9:25 AM EDT
Dunder Mifflin has a Scranton branch. And now the NBC Universal Store does, too.

The store, which sells all official NBC merchandise, including anything to do with the Scranton-set comedy, “The Office,” will install a kiosk on the first floor of The Mall at Steamtown starting Nov. 1 and continuing through Dec. 31.

As one would expect, the kiosk, which will be dubbed The Dunder Mifflin Store, will primarily sell “Office” merchandise, including the Dwight Schrute bobblehead doll, the most popular item in the store’s history.

According to Gennady Zaritsky, senior marketing manager for NBC Retail Operations, this is the first time NBC Universal has ever set up a separate operation in addition to its flagship NBC Experience store at New York City’s Rockefeller Center.

“We thought, why don’t we give it a shot during the holiday season this year, see what happens,” said Mr. Zaritsky, who will be at the mall on Wednesday setting up a promotional display for the store.

“We are thrilled that NBC Experience presents The Dunder Mifflin Store will be opening exclusively at The Mall at Steamtown this holiday season,” said mall marketing director Art Levandoski in an e-mail statement. “Not only is this a great addition for the mall for the holidays, but a great win for Scranton as well.”

The store made its first cameo appearance here during last fall’s “The Office” Convention, when Mr. Zaritsky set up a stand at the Radisson at Lackawanna Station hotel. Sales were so robust that Mr. Zaritsky and mall officials discussed bringing the store back a few weeks later for the start of the holiday season.

“But we thought it was too soon,” Mr. Zaritsky said. “We want to make sure we do it the right way.”

Among other things, the kiosk, which will be located outside Journeys Shoes, will be selling Dunder Mifflin work shirts and T-shirts (including one that says “Regular Dunderhead”), hats, tumblers, mugs, key chains, magnets, “The Office” DVD Board Game, the Michael Scott talking bobblehead, which had its premiere at the convention, and, of course, the Dwight bobblehead, which became a retail phenomenon after it appeared in an early episode.

“That’s the biggest thing for us. It’s still selling great,” said Mr. Zaritsky, noting something similar to the Dwight bobblehead will be turning up on an upcoming “Office” episode that NBC plans to then turn into a product.

For those who aren’t “Office” diehards, the kiosk also will be offering a few products from other NBC shows, including “Heroes,” “Saturday Night Live” and the long-defunct but still beloved Saturday morning teen comedy, “Saved by the Bell.”

Mr. Zaritsky is expecting good things from the kiosk, because, on a recent trip to the mall, he was approached by several shoppers looking to purchase “Office” regalia right then and there.

“We know how big this is in Scranton,” he said.

Mr. Levandoski said that if the store does well, it could become a permanent fixture at the mall.

“Hopefully,” Mr. Levandoski said, “this is just the beginning.”

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