After Twin Peaks aired on the ABC television network in April 1990, demands for the world famous “Twin Peaks pies” skyrocketed at Twede’s Cafe in North Bend, Washington. Known then as the Mar-T Cafe, Pat Cokewell and her staff couldn’t keep up with the demand. Tourists from all over came to the Real Twin Peaks to see the corner cafe that was used as the location of the Double R Diner. Naturally, the cafe offered souvenirs besides pie and coffee for folks to remember their visit. One such item is this North Bend Postcard of Mar-T Cafe.
NORTH BEND POSTCARD OF MAR-T CAFE
This 4-inch by 6-inch postcard features an image of the Mar-T Cafe parking lot filled with cars, including two conversion vans. Mount Si under a cloud-filled sky is seen in the distance. The card was distributed by Smith-Western Co. in Tacoma, Washington who still makes souvenirs for tourist attractions today. The card has two identification numbers – CT-3342 and CP7268.
The back of the postcard indicates the photograph was taken by Terri Hendricks. Unfortunately, I was unable to locate any information about Ms. Hendricks. It’s a rather interesting subject – unsure if the card was meant to show the cafe is busy or that it mostly appeals to those inclined to drive conversation vans.
The card also includes an outdated phone number for Twede’s Cafe.
HOME OF TWIN PEAKS PIES
I was drawn to this card for two reasons – 1) I want to archive everything about the show and 2) the yellow “Home of Twin Peaks Pies” sign appears in Twin Peaks: Fire Walk With Me. This scene from The Missing Pieces gives an excellent look at the parking lot with the yellow sign on the building.
In the theatrical release of David Lynch’s 1992 masterpiece, you can see only the corner of the yellow sign when Laura Palmer speaks with the grandmother and her grandson in the Double R Diner parking lot.
The sign was still on the side of the cafe when I first visited in August 1996. Most likely, the former owner added the sign shortly after the series debut. I have yet to determine when exactly it was added (but it’s on my list of things to find).
It’s interesting Lynch kept the sign for the film – could it be for his love of the small town of North Bend? It’s odd that the diner in the small town of a population of 5,201 would need to advertise it has “Twin Peaks pies.” Wouldn’t everyone already know? I mean they were the best in the Tri-Counties.
When Cokewell sold the Mar-T Cafe to Kyle Twede in the late 1990s, the “Home of Twin Peaks Pies” sign was replaced with “Home of Twin Peaks Cherry Pie.”
All said, it’s a great card to add to my growing collection of Real Twin Peaks items.
I believe for FWWM, they painted the entire building (and the red inside the T) AND most relevant to this article, they painted the banner directly onto the building. So your postcard was a photo taken prior to the filming of FWWM, because you can see it’s a physical banner in the postcard, but a painted on banner in FWWM.
@Jared Aces! I was thinking it may have been before Sept. 1991 due to the T being faded and worn. Thank you for this additional insight!