Want to visit ‘Schitt’s Creek’ in Upstate NY? Here’s what you’ll see (2024)

I drove up a hill into a quaint little town known as Sharon Springs, NY. Their Main Street could be anywhere in small town America, but looking around, I passed several dilapidated and abandoned large hotels and ornate gazebos. Once a thriving resort town for affluent families from New York City, Sharon Springs was said to be home to natural and mineral-rich white sulfur spring water with healing and medicinal properties.

It was at 187 Main Street where I found the Rose Apothecary, a pop-up shop made for fans of the TV series “Schitt’s Creek.” The storefront of Upstate New York’s Beekman 1802 Mercantile has been temporarily transformed through the end of February into one many fans will be familiar with, filled with limited-edition Rose Apothecary products.

In “Schitt’s Creek,” the Rose family leaves their busy, metropolitan life for a second chance in a small town in the middle of nowhere. The character David Rose, played by Daniel Levy, opens a tasteful, curated apothecary, where people come to shop for handmade items from local artisans. It’s a storyline that Beekman 1802 knows well.

Co-founders Dr. Brent Ridge and Josh Kilmer-Purcell left their big city life and relocated to the Beekman farm in a town with a population of 532. The Manhattanites had purchased the property as a weekend getaway, but after losing their jobs in the 2008 financial crisis, the dream vacation home suddenly turned into a looming financial burden.

Much like the character David, the two used their city-bred hustle, a well-honed eye for style, and the help of some very skillful neighbors to create economic opportunity, quickly turning their home, and the goats that lived on it, into a viable business by selling items like goat milk soap and gourmet cheese.

“Moving from one of the busiest cities in the world to a small rural town was a huge adjustment to say the least, but we really never looked back. In fact, we find our new life really suits us,” Ridge said. “There were a lot of things that we had at our disposal that maybe, at first, you miss—like 24-hour public transportation or food delivery, but then after a while you realize you don’t need all of those things. We’re not running around town at all hours. We cook. We are living a healthier more purposeful life, and I think that’s what the characters of the show realize after a while, too.”

After winning The Amazing Race in 2012, Ridge and Kilmer-Purcell took part of their winnings and opened the mercantile in 2013.

Approaching the store, fans were already outside, getting their photos in front of the Rose Apothecary sign. The cult following of the Canadian television program has brought in visitors to this tiny town from all over the U.S. During my visit there were fans from Delaware; Portland, Oreg.; and one woman who arrived on a redeye from Phoenix, AZ to visit the shop and fly back out of Albany, NY just hours later.

A store employee told us that upon hearing the news of the pop-up, a woman traveled out from Colorado just for the “Schitt’s Creek” experience. The employee reported this past January been a historic month in the town for business.

Some fans have even come dressed as their favorite characters from the Emmy nominated show.

Inside the shop I was greeted with “Hello neighbor!” by one of the store’s employees and the Rose Apothecary display takes prominent stage in the shop with even more photo opportunities inside.

While the sign on the storefront has temporarily changed inside the plants are perfectly arranged in the window, there are Rose Apothecary lip balms by the cash register, and yes, there are plungers by the front door; all references to the show.

Superfans have flocked to the store not only to take photos, but also to buy the highly coveted Rose Apothecary collection that Beekman 1802 created as an ode to “Schitt’s Creek.” Products launched in late January and some, like the Rose Apothecary candles which are hand-poured in Upstate NY, immediately sold out with waiting lists.

The Sharon Springs mercantile calls itself “a world famous store in the middle of nowhere” and is a place where goats and luxury and comfort converge. In the front of the store you will find goats milk skin care and hair products, perfumes, and gifts for your pets.

As you wander through the store, you will find everything from pottery to garden tools, scarves, blankets, jars of jams and honeys, and even their famous fruitcake. You can smell and taste and try their wares in every room. It’s a store that character David Rose himself might shop.

As if the storefront homage and product line didn’t prove their love for “Schitt’s Creek” enough, the pair, who are also married in real life, recently released their own recreation of a scene from the show which takes place inside the Rose Apothecary between the store’s founders David and Patrick to the tune of “Simply the Best” by Tina Turner.

I made an afternoon of my trip to Sharon Springs and headed down to the Black Cat Cafe for tea. The bakery also sells bites to eat and their own version of fruitcake. The owner made sure to stop at each table to ask them how their meal was.

Across the street from Beekman 1802 is the renovated American Hotel which also offers dinner and brunch in their dining room. There is high tea available at the nearby Miss Lodema’s Tea Room at The Roseboro. You can also do some more shopping at An American Emporium and Cobbler & Co. or relax at the Spring House Spa which will be open for treatments through April 30, 2020.

“Schitt’s Creek” has launched its sixth and final season on PopTV. If you don’t have PopTV, you can stream Schitt’s Creek on fuboTV. Seasons 1-5 can be streamed on Netflix, if you want to catch up on the fish-out-of-water adventures of the Rose family.