Schitt’s Creek is a comforting sitcom that followed the eccentric Rose family as they moved to the remote titular town after losing their fortune. Fans couldn’t get enough of the over-the-top antics of matriarch Moira and fell in love with her straight-shooter husband Johnny and their two quirky adult kids David and Alexis. The show quickly became a worldwide sensation after its 2015 debut, with audiences becoming fully invested in not only the family’s efforts to acclimate to their wealthless reality but also the kooky town itself.
After Johnny jokingly bought the peculiar community for his son’s birthday years ago, they relocate to Schitt’s Creek and begin staying at its rundown motel as their only option to survive. Going from the finer things in life to a more humble existence in the rural town was hilarious for viewers to watch, and it didn’t take long for people to begin wondering if they too could visit the setting of the series.
While Schitt’s Creek itself may be fictional, devoted fans can still get a taste of the acclaimed sitcom by heading north to Canada where the entire show was filmed. Let’s dive into where the wholesome comedy was shot.
Where Is Schitt’s Creek Filmed?
Since the award-winning sitcom was created and produced in Canada, it’s not surprising that the interior scenes were shot in multiple studios in Toronto, while the exterior images were captured in the quaint, small village of Goodwood, Ontario. With a population of a little over 600 people, Goodwood was one of 30 towns that were scouted for the setting of the comedy and ultimately won over the showrunners with its picturesque vibe and warm and inviting feel. Goodwood has many memorable spots featured in Schitt’s Creek including Café Tropical and Rose Apothecary, much to the delight of fans.
The beloved Rosebud Motel is actually located in Orangeville, Ontario, and was formerly known as The Hockley Motel, with the landmark location being listed for sale in 2020 for a cool $2 million. Passionate Schitt’s Creek enthusiasts have flocked to the instantly-recognizable filming spot, with the 6.7-acre riverside property also having been prominently featured in the Netflix show The Umbrella Academy and the thriller A History of Violence. However, it is Goodwood that truly sees the most of the Schitt’s Creek fandom.
Residents of Goodwood have been nothing but supportive when it comes to the sitcom having been filmed there, as it has since helped the community boom and their economy grow due to curious “Schittheads” (as fans call themselves) stopping by the town for some sightseeing. According to series creator and star Dan Levy, the residents of Goodwood showed a great deal of trust in allowing Schitt’s Creek to be produced there, revealing the warmth and timelessness of the town sealed the deal.
“I remember season 1, we had to approach this town and tell them, ‘You are going to be Schitt’s Creek.’ And I think it took a lot of blind faith on the part of the town to believe us when we said, ‘We will be doing this place justice and we will be honouring small-town life in your city.’ And they were behind us from Day 1.”
Goodwood dwells within the larger Township of Uxbridge and is a tiny hamlet that makes up only half a square mile, with its mayor Dave Barton noting that its lush countryside and protected lands made it the perfect spot for the show. Barton once noted, “I think [the show] wanted a town that was mostly untouched in that way, and they got it.” Fellow co-creator and star Eugene Levy (Johnny) also marveled at how kind and supportive the residents of the small community were during the filming process.
“They would set up their lawn chairs on their front lawns and watch us shoot across the street. They would stand around the monitors in the director’s booth and actually comment . . . ‘You sure you want to keep this?'”
A Lasting Impact
During its spectacular television tenure and over the course of its six seasons, Schitt’s Creek continued to acquire a devoted fan base, in large part due to it receiving the helpful “Netflix bump” after becoming available on the juggernaut platform. Audiences truly connected with the zany Rose clan, endearing characters, and comforting small-town feel, with both Canadian and American viewers becoming enamored by the feel-good cult hit that set records in 2020 when it took home a whopping 9 Primetime Emmy Awards.
Though viewers tearfully said goodbye to Schitt’s Creek in 2020, they can still re-live the magic of the cherished series by heading to Canada and making a pit stop in both Goodwood and Orangeville, Ontario to scope out some of the fictional town’s iconic landmarks. Whether fans want to check out Roland Schitt’s charming blue home, take a gander at Bob’s Garage, or check out the storefront for David and Patrick’s upscale shop Rose Apothecary, Goodwood and its proud residents have kept the appeal and purity of the sitcom intact.
This story originally appeared on Movieweb
