NORTH BEND, Wash. — Though he may not have donned the title of Mayor, David Lynch arguably left a more indelible mark on North Bend than anyone in recent history.
“I wouldn’t find myself here without David Lynch,” mused Max Spears, cradling a cup of inky-black coffee at Twede’s Café—immortalized as the iconic “Double R Diner” in Twin Peaks.
The visionary filmmaker selected Snoqualmie Valley as the atmospheric stage for his cult masterpiece in 1990, with the café assuming a pivotal role in his eerie narrative. Across the street, the marquee of the North Bend Theater bore Lynch’s name, solemnly announcing his passing at the age of 78 last Thursday.
“North Bend simply wouldn’t be the same without David Lynch and Twin Peaks,” remarked Sam Burrows, a steward of the theater who recalls hosting the auteur for screenings and special occasions. “His influence rippled through the entire community.”
Local historian Cristy Lake underscored the transformative impact of Lynch’s creative choice, arguing it fundamentally reshaped the town’s trajectory.
“The timber industry was in its twilight,” she explained. “Twin Peaks arrived precisely at that juncture, becoming a magnet for visitors from across the globe. It breathed life into Snoqualmie and North Bend when both were grappling with economic challenges.”
Spears referred to Twede’s Café as the heartbeat of the Twin Peaks mythos, drawing fans from distant corners of the world seeking to savor a slice of the show’s essence—cherry pie paired with coffee described as “black as a moonlit night.”
On Thursday, a bouquet was delicately placed on the corner of the café in Lynch’s honor.
Washington-born Kyle MacLachlan, who portrayed the enigmatic Agent Cooper in the series, reflected on Instagram: “Forty-two years ago, in ways that still elude my understanding, David Lynch plucked me from obscurity to star in his first and only major studio film. He saw something in me I couldn’t even see in myself. I owe not just my career, but my entire life, to his unparalleled vision.”