New York City’s latest pop-up is a little bit Alexis — and a whole lot of fun.
The fully immersive, hands-on and free experience for "Schitt's Creek" fans opened Friday, welcoming viewers into the podunk town's favorite locales.
Cafe Tropical (complete with its oversized, four-paged menus featuring dozens of dishes), the Moira's Rose's Garden, Rose Apothecary, and a detailed remake of different parts of the Rosebud Motel are all on display for fans to interact with and take plenty of selfies at the Chelsea pop-up.
Rose Apothecary acts as a fully-functioning store and gift shop for the exhibit, selling goods David and Patrick might sell in the show like skin cream, goat soap, candles and lip balm in addition to t-shirts and other memorabilia.
Brad Schwartz, President of Pop TV which airs the show, said they came up with the idea of the pop-up as a way to give a gift back to the fans, who he credits as the biggest reason for the show's success.
"People have fallen in love with this family and have fallen in love with this town, but you’ve never been able to go there," he said. "To be able to take fans and fill up their Instagrams and be part of the town is just a really cool thing."
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Another favorite at the pop-up has been Moria's wig wall, where fans can see what they would look like with one the fictional socialite's hair pieces on via a Snapchat filter (this writer couldn't pull off her feathered black bob and mint green 'dos, but maybe others will have better luck).
In fact the wig wall quickly became one of the most popular places for visitors, Schwartz said, adding that "we had to put up a sign saying 'Please don’t touch the wigs,' because everyone’s enjoying that."
There are also a few authentic pieces that were used on set included at the pop-up, like some of the wigs, the cafe menus and a piece of art hanging above the bed in the motel room.
The bike Mutt got for Alexis (before learning that neither she nor David could ride), Moira's outfit from her starring role as Dr. Clara Mandrake in the film "The Crows Have Eyes II: The Crowening" and of course the town's infamous and easily misconstrued sign are all on display as well.
Anyone hoping to check out the short-lived pop-up needed quick reflexes to secure a ticket — all were scooped up within six minutes for the NYC and LA locations. Schwartz said it's the "joyous" nature of the show which has made it so popular and why people were so excited to see in person a small piece of the town they've seen so much of over the course of five seasons.
"We live in kind of some dark times right now. We have a lot of political divide, we have social media that can be real ugly. And for there to be this town that you can kind of go to and get away from it all … is a really special thing. And I think that’s one of the things that fans have really gravitated to, they love this family they’ve gone on this ride with this family," said Schwartz. "It’s a show and a town where people don’t judge each other, where love is love … it’s just really special."
The decision to end the show, which has seen ratings grow every season due in part to its availability on Netflix, after 80 episodes allows the producers and writers to "go out on top," Schwartz said.
"Write the ending they want to write, give fans the gift they want to give. That’s rare in TV, to go out your way and on top," he said. "It’s bittersweet but its beautiful."
As for the upcoming final season, Schwartz called it "a beautiful love letter to the fans."
"[The cast and crew] did a beautiful job telling all the stories, finishing up all the stories and really giving a beautiful gift to the fans that is very satisfying," he said.
And for anyone hoping for a return to Schitt's Creek: Although the pop-up may only be around for a few days, Schwartz didn't rule out the chance at some sort of reunion or a project in the future.
"Creators of the show and Dan Levy have created a world that people love. They did a live tour that completely sold out," Schwartz said. "If Dan or them want to revisit it or do anything with it, we would certainly be there alongside them. But those are their decisions."
The final season of “Schitt’s Creek,” a 2019 Critics’ Choice nominee for Best Comedy Series, premieres on Pop TV on January 7 at 9 p.m.
