This Detroit Cafe Is Transforming Into Luke’s Diner for a Day

Brace for pop culture-inspired caffeine mania. Avalon International Breads will pay homage to Gilmore Girls by transforming for one day only into the cult show’s neighborhood greasy spoon Luke’s Diner. Like its fictional counterpart, Luke’s Detroit will pour out copious amounts of (FREE) coffee from 7 a.m. to noon on October 5 to fuel all your fast-moving verbal acrobatics. Customers can also channel Lorelai and Rory while indulging in pie by-the-slice.

Eater has reached out for more details on the temporary transformation. The Cass Corridor cafe alludes to “other Gilmore-esque surprises.” Fingers crossed they involve backwards baseball caps, cherry danishes, santa burgers, and the staff channeling their inner cynical proprietor.

If you’ve never caught an episode of series, there’s still time before Netflix revives the family drama this fall. Since it left the air in 2007, fans have been filling the void with nostalgia for the show with one even developing a Gilmore-themed cookbook.

This, of course, isn’t the first time a spot in Detroit has temporarily rebranded. For a brief time last fall, The Sugar House redubbed itself the Bill Murray after the Ghostbusting actor with a menu to match.

Update, 9/29, 11:37 a.m.: Reached by Eater, Avalon manager Lesley O’Connell confirms that the Luke’s Diner promotion is part of a larger national promotion by Netflix ahead of the release of its Gilmore Girls revival (slated for November). The event will take place on the anniversary of show’s original pilot airdate.

O’Connell says Netflix is working with approximately 200 cafes nationally to build up the buzz. The streaming site picked up the tab for 250 12-ounce cups of coffee so get there early. O’Connell says she believes the company is also supplying them with either aprons or T-shirts.

Update, 10/3, 5:15 a.m.: Find an update here on all six Luke’s Diner pop-ups headed to Michigan plus new event details from Netflix.

• Luke’s Detroit Event [Facebook]

• 'Eat Like a Gilmore' Will Be a Cookbook Inspired by Stars Hollow [E]

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