Steve Carell buys general store in Massachusetts
In this April 9, 2008, photo, store owner Sherry Bechtold stands in front of the Marshfield Hills General Store in Marshfield, Mass. Actor Steve Carell recently bought the store and put sister-in-law Tish Vivado in charge on Jan. 1, 2009. Carell is a part Greg Derr, The Associated Press
January 16, 2009
MARSHFIELD, Mass. – Steve Carell is going from “The Office” to the general store.
Carell, who plays bumbling boss Michael Scott on the NBC sitcom, bought the Marshfield Hills General Store. The 45-year-old actor is a part-time resident of the Massachusetts’ south short town, which is 25 miles south of Boston.
He put sister-in-law Tish Vivado in charge but said customers should not be surprised to see him working there on occasion.
“I will be manning the cash register, and stocking the shelves as time permits!” Carell wrote in an e-mail to The Boston Globe.
He said the purchase was more of an “emotional investment than a business one” and an opportunity to preserve a piece of Americana.
The store’s previous owner, Sherry Bechtold, said she and her husband, Bob, sold the 155-year-old building and business to Carell after being convinced he wanted it “for the right reasons.” She said she wanted to make sure the new owner retained the store’s character.
Vivado took over as store manager on Jan. 1.
