Revealing mistake: As with many shows, the outside doesn't even come close to matching the inside layout.
Other mistake: Archie goes out to the outside front porch to paint it. At the end of every show, the house they show doesn't have an outside front porch.
Character mistake: Edith says in a story that Archie has a brother Phil. In actuality Archie had 1 brother, Fred.
Answer: Yes, Gloria and Michael have friends, but when they got married they decided it was best to live *rent free* with Edith and Archie, while Mike was going to college. Living with friends rent free, for quite a few years, is not an easy thing no matter how close the friends are with them. Since the Stivics needed their money to pay for the tuition and its other costs, their living arrangement made it all easier to deal with. Hence the Archie and Mike scenarios.
Super Grover ★