| Address |
| SE Hwy 224, Damascus, OR 97089, USA (Damascus, Oregon)
|
| |
| Information |
The Carver Café
This café in the small, unincorporated community of Carver in Damascus, Oregon received worldwide attention for its appearance in the 2008 vampire/fantasy Twilight. The building itself dates back to 1950 and over time has been the home of various local businesses. In 1993, it became known as The Carver Curves Café until around 2001 when longtime employees, Sarah Boden and Kris Stafford, took over ownership. They dropped the "Curves" portion of the name and the establishment became known, simply enough, as The Carver Café.
Twilight (2008)
The Carver Café made its big screen debut in the 2008 film adaptation of the bestselling novel, Twilight, by author Stephenie Meyer. Surprisingly, the filmmakers chose to keep the name of the establishment for its onscreen appearance, despite the fact that the facility was supposed to be located in Forks, Washington (see Forks, Washington under Literary Sites) in the Twilight world. The reasons for this are unknown to even Boden and Stafford, but they are eternally grateful for what amounted to worldwide exposure. As a bonus, the production crew even added the café's logo to the front door.
The film was an adaptation of the first book in a series by Meyer that have proven to be a smash-hit and generated a massive, loyal following. The story centers around a teenage girl by the name of Bella Swan (portrayed by Kristen Stewart in the film) and her romance with a century-old vampire named Edward Cullen (Robert Pattinson). Bringing the story to film in a way that satisfied the fans was no small task for director Catherine Hardwicke, but the end result was that Twilight became a box-office smash and has already lined up a sequel.
Interestingly enough, the setting of the café did not appear in the books, but rather the scenes took place elsewhere or not at all. The filmmakers made the decision to add the sequences as a way for the character of Bella to spend more time with her father, Charlie (Billy Burke), and present more of a feel for the city of Forks. The Carver Café makes an appearance in a couple of scenes in Twilight. Each scene features the routine of Bella and Charlie spending time with one another over a plate of food; sometimes interacting with other locals from the town.
For its role in the film, the production team did some interior remodeling like adding some wood paneling and a fresh coat of paint, as well as adding various paintings and historical photos from the city of Forks. The Carver Café was closed during the remodeling and closed once again when it came time to do some of the filming. Production took place during the first week of April and shots seen in the final product featured both the interior and exterior of the establishment. When the Twilight production wrapped, the team left behind some of the photos and interior decorations as a way of expressing their gratitude.
While the café appears in the film version of the city of Forks, it is interesting to note that it is separated a great deal from other "Forks" locations. The majority of the street shots of Forks took place in the city of Vernonia, which was also home to the building used as the Forks Police Station (see Twilight (2008): Forks Police Station). The house where Bella and Charlie lived is actually located in the city of Saint Helens (see Twilight (2008): The Swan House) - some 35 miles away from the café.
The Café Today
The Carver Café still serves their patrons in Carver and the greater-Portland area. Not surprisingly, its role in Twilight has generated more than a little interest from fans of the film who have completely embraced it - regardless whether the café was in the original book or not. In fact, the table where Bella and Charlie sat in the film is a popular spot for tourists to stop and grab a bite to eat. Boden and Stafford have even left many of the set decorations from the production on the walls for fans to see and even added a few of their own personal touches. While the menu has not been changed to include any Twilight-themed items (like a Bella Burger or the like), the café does offer t-shirts that proudly proclaim, "I got a bite at the Carver Café".
While the establishment has completely embraced its role in the film, as well as the curious fans that stop by for a look, it should be noted that it is still an active business that serves patrons from the local area. Please show respect to both the business and its patrons when visiting. |
| |
| GPS Interface |
Save Waypoint to Garmin Device.
|
|
| |
| User Trips |
| There are no user trips associated with this location. |
| |
| Related Sites |
| There are no links associated with this location. |
| |
| Similar Destinations |
| Olitas Cantina & Grille |
| Chef Mcjon's Downingtown Diner |
| Moss Beach Distillery |
| |
| See Also on TheCabinet.com |
| Blog: The Twilight Movie Location Travel Guide (03/20/09) |
| |
| Available from Amazon.com |
Twilight (Two-Disc Special Edition) |
Twilight: The Complete Illustrated Movie Companion |
Twilight Collector's Edition (The Twilight Saga) |
The Twilight Saga: The Official Guide (Twilight Saga) |
The Twilight Saga: Slipcased |
Twilight Soundtrack |
Twilight: The Score |
Twilight People Poster Print, 24x36 |
Twilight Movie Poster Advance Group Artwork |
| |
