The Story Behind the 70s Sitcom Hit Laverne & Shirley

In an effort to give the show new story possibilities, producers decided to change the setting of Laverne & Shirley during the early 1980s. The characters left Milwaukee and moved to Burbank, California, where they began working in a department store.

The relocation allowed the writers to introduce new situations and characters while exploring a different environment. However, the change also altered the tone of the series. Some longtime viewers missed the original Milwaukee setting and the Shotz Brewery workplace that had defined the show’s early years.