Some of you may recall the hullabaloo last summer when a Hollywood movie crew set up shop in the old downtown area of Swannanoa. Curious onlookers strained to catch a glimpse of the movie’s stars, Zach Galifianakis, Owen Wilson, and Kristen Wiig. The movie didn’t have a name back then, but now it does. It’s called “Masterminds” and is a comedy based on a true story about a 1997 heist of a Loomis armored car (containing $17 million dollars in cash!) in Charlotte, NC.
The movie’s release date has been set for October 9, so mark your calendar if you want to see Swannanoa on the silver screen. The movie was filmed in several other locations in western North Carolina, including Asheville. The Swannanoa scenes were shot on the street and inside the old bank building on Whitson Avenue, which was temporarily converted into a cafe (see photo).
FANS Board member Doug Lebbon chats with a security guard outside the “cafe.”