Scranton has really got it going on! Little by little, this city has crept back into full swing without losing any of its past glamour. This is no understatement, either. A casual observer visiting the town can’t help but notice the new mixed right in with the old while respecting each. The architecture is beautiful, interesting and in many places, unusual. The renovations have been made with the original design in tact.

The company I work for has offices in Kingston, Hazleton and Scranton so we recently purchased a membership in The Greater Scranton Chamber of Commerce www.scrantonchamber.com . They mailed a wonderful welcome package that included a 2007 Business & Buyers Guide, titled “Rediscover Scranton… we’re electric!”. Now, sometimes “buyers guide” just translates into “a book of ads”. But this book seemed to shine right inside the envelope it came in. I’m not sure how many people read a “Business & Buyers’ Guide”, but I did. The darn thing actually made me want to rediscover Scranton, so I did just that.

Because we have an office location in Scranton, I get the opportunity to go to there often enough. So when I went last week, I took some extra time to look around this town closely rather than rushing in and out as I usually do. I drove around the square which is just lovely (even with the construction work). The outer blocks are a mix of thriving businesses and residences. The chain stores are kept in the Steamtown Mall and “down the line” at the Shoppes at Montage. The city blocks seem to have been reserved for unique small business owners, restaurants and art galleries! This town seems to have turned into a mini New York City!

What a delight. I parked on Penn Ave. and had no trouble finding a spot. This was at lunchtime, mind you. I walked Lackawanna, Adams, Mulberry and back. The sidewalks were full of people! Business people, students, senior citizens and shoppers all mixed together. These people smile, too. They smile to each other and I even said “hello” to several who greeted me first. Where else does this happen anymore?!

Walking, I was able to notice something else Scranton is really getting right: maintenance. The streets are clean, the buildings are well-kept. There are plenty of trash bins that appear to be emptied daily. There are no broken street lights, windows or meters. The tree lawns are manicured. Flowers and landscaping defy the cement around them. Building something is easy compared to the constant challenge of maintaining it and Scranton clearly is up to the task.

I would be remiss if I didn’t mention the churches, the schools and the history. Scranton is obviously proud of their heritage and religious diversity. You could spend a full day as a tourist in Scranton: The Everhart Museum, Steamtown, and the Trolley Museum. You could spend another day at the Lackawanna Coal Mine, Nay Aug Park and the Anthracite Museum. A third full day could be spent shopping. Each night, you could be entertained at The Scranton Cultural Center at Masonic Temple, Mellow Theater, and the Toyota Pavilion or even take in a community theater show at Actor’s Circle or Broadway Theatre League of NEPA. Something fun to do can always be found in The Electric City.

Finally, I think it’s terrific that NBC’s “The Office” is set in Scranton. The show is fun to watch. Not so much for the comedy, which is more quirky than laugh-out-loud funny, but I like the characters and I like to look at the set. You can see Rock 107 and Froggy stickers on their work stations. Our local restaurant menus are posted in their lunch room. My own office isn’t very much like “The Office” but I like that it’s close; just “up the line” from my own.

(Photo By Farmer, Jason. Post-Gazette.com 18 Oct 2006 24 May 2007 <http://www.post-gazette.com/pg/06291/730750-237.stm >. )