Today, Drew Barryomore’s directorial debut, Whip It, opens in theaters nationwide. The movie is about a young women (Ellen Page) who finds her passion in a roller derby club.

Whip It was filmed entirely on location at various locations around Michigan including Ken’s Diner in Birch Run. The now vacant restaurant fills in as the “Oink Joint”, a Texas BBQ where Ellen Page’s character works in the movie. Here’s where Yorkville’s strange connection to Whip It comes into play. According to MLive.com, the diner first opened in Yorkville  in 1955 and was moved to Birch Run in 1992, where it became Ken’s Diner!

Who knew a small diner in Yorkville would someday serve as the backdrop for a major movie? Goes to show, anything’s possible!