First it was Steven and Gersten’s Tree that fell in early 2024. Now, a beloved former-diner-turned film location from Twin Peaks: Fire Walk With is no more. The Fall City, Washington site that served as Hap’s Diner during the first 30 minutes of the film is gone.
REVISITING HAP’S DINER FROM TWIN PEAKS: FIRE WALK WITH ME
I previously discussed the extensive history of this film location on Twin Peaks Blog. In 1962, Bob Jones opened Bobâs Drive-In, a small 672-square-foot restaurant along the highway connecting the towns of Carnation and Fall City. Over the years, it had multiple owners and multiple names – The Other Place, Fall City Grill, and Fall City Bistro.
The location had also seen it’s fair share of flooding due to the nearby Snoqualmie River. Flooding has impacted several areas throughout Snoqualmie Valley and was a reason why the original Fat Trout Trailer Park in Snoqualmie was removed.
Fellow Bookhouse Boy Jeff Powell snapped this photo of the location during a visit on August 29, 2023. It stood as an empty shell of it’s former self.
He also took this image of the front door that Agents Sam Stanley and Chet Desmond enter in the film. While he was at the location with long-time fan Josh Eisenstadt, a King County employee stopped by the location. At the time, he mentioned to Jeff and Josh that the location would be demolished.
SAYING GOOD-BYE TO HAP’S DINER
While on Facebook tonight, I saw a post from the Fall City Historical Society about the former film location. A follower named Niki left a comment, “I saw them tearing down the building last week.”
I immediate messaged Karl Reinsch if he had seen the location. Karl, who is a wonderful friend and a lover of history like me, stopped by the spot on his way home from work. He sent a handful of photos which confirmed the inevitable.
It’s gone!
All that’s left is a slab and the sign by the side of the road.
This work is part of a plan that has been in the works for years called the Fall City Floodplain Restoration Project. The project is on the mainstem of the Snoqualmie River about a half-mile downstream of the SR-203 Bridge in the town of Fall City which will reduce flood risk and restore aquatic habitat. The restaurant location would have never survived if it was reopened due to the occasional rising waters.
King County has done similar work through the area such as the “Welcome to Twin Peaks” sign spot which saw significant work to prevent the road from being washed away.
Even the property records for this spot called out that demolishing the location would be the best use.
MORE PHOTOS FROM DEMOLISHED HAP’S DINER
Karl shared additional images from the now demolished location.
HAP’S DINER LIVES ON IN MEMORIES AND MORE
I only got to eat at the location once when it was Fall City Grill during the 1996 Twin Peaks Fan Festival. My buddy Joe Neff and I are sitting at the counter where Agents Desmond and Stanley sat.
Thankfully that bar and a number of booths from inside the location were saved by Bookhouse Gal Anita Dunning-Rehn and are now found at Snoqualmie Eagles #3529 in Snoqualmie, Washington. You can read more about how these items were rescued in this article.
So I now say “Good-Bye” to Hap’s … as a long-time fan of David Lynch’s 1992 masterpiece, there is nothing good about losing another film location. Goodnight, Irene.
Special thank you to Karl and Jeff for the photos.
