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As I drive around the window-heavy casino at night, I can picture the saucer-eyed kids pressing their noses up against the glass. Right across the street from the casino is Cleveland’s Public Square, where the movie’s Christmas parade was filmed; it passed by the elaborate Soldiers’ and Sailors’ Monument for Civil War veterans. Much like it took decades for the movie to catch on, the house in A Christmas Story grew into its status as a tourist magnet over time.
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It tells the heartwarming tale of 9-year-old Ralphie Parker and his desire to have Santa Claus bring him a Red Ryder BB gun. Twenty-one years after the film was released, entrepreneur Brian M. Jones, a native of San Diego, bought the house on eBay for $150,000. He used revenue from his business, The Red Rider Leg Lamp Company, for the down payment. It was, in the words of Old Man Parker, a “major award,” an opportunity to create a new kind of museum in Cleveland. Watching the movie frame by frame, Jones drew interior plans and spent $240,000 to reconfigure the structure as a single-family dwelling and a near-perfect replica of the movie set. Entering the house, visitors now are greeted by the infamous leg lamp, the Parker’s decorated tree, a kitchen stocked with Ovaltine, and the sink where Randy hid.
Cleveland’s ‘A Christmas Story’ House has been sold - cleveland.com
Cleveland’s ‘A Christmas Story’ House has been sold.
Posted: Tue, 24 Oct 2023 07:00:00 GMT [source]
BONUS: Stay at the A Christmas Story house
The House from A Christmas Story, now restored to its movie splendor, is open year round to the public for tours and overnight stays. Directly across the street from the House is the Museum, which features original props, costumes and memorabilia from the film, as well as hundreds of rare behind-the-scenes photos. Among the props and costumes are the toys from the Higbee’s window, Randy’s snowsuit, the chalkboard from Miss Shields’ classroom and the family car. After reliving the movie at Ralphie’s house don’t forget to visit the museum gift shop for your own Major Award Leg Lamp and other great movie memorabilia. Proceeds from the gift shop and overnight stays help support and maintain The House from A Christmas Story.
"Ralphie, You'll Shoot Your Eye Out!"
Growing up on the West Coast, former owner Brian Jones and his family were fans. He was on track to fulfilling his flying dreams, studying aerospace engineering at the US Naval Academy, until he failed the vision test for flight school. To make him feel better, his mom sent him a leg lamp as a joke.
CELEBRATING 40 YEARS SINCE THE MOVIE'S RELEASE
Upstairs, they can see the bathroom where Ralphie’s decoder ring and a bar of Lifebuoy soap reside. The back yard, where several scenes were filmed, looks just like the movie. Near the front entrance is a memorial bench dedicated to Clark. It sits on the exact spot where he had a cameo as a nosy neighbor. The Gift ShopNext to the museum, the gift shop features 3,500 square feet of movie memorabilia and holiday collectibles, including leg lamps and bunny suits.
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These guys recently performed a unique study that valuated various pieces of jewelry belonging to Disney DIS princesses. And now they’re back to do the same thing with our favorite Christmas movie homes. The Grinch’s cave from How the Grinch Stole Christmas; Iris’s Honeysuckle Cottage from The Holiday; the Polar Express from The Polar Express—all of these homes belong to our favorite characters from classic Christmas movies. Since purchasing the home, Jones spent tens of thousands over the years to restore it and the surrounding properties to how they appeared in the 1983 movie, which was filmed in and around Cleveland. As I drive through Cleveland, the streets and sights of its charming Tremont neighborhood look eerily familiar.
'A Christmas Story' house gets new owner amid the holiday season - Fox Business
'A Christmas Story' house gets new owner amid the holiday season.
Posted: Wed, 06 Dec 2023 08:00:00 GMT [source]
You Can Now Buy Ralphie Parker’s House From ‘A Christmas Story’
The Joseph Residence and Apartments (a.k.a the Hobbit House of L.A.) is one of the most noteworthy examples of Storybook architecture. This romanticized version of the Medieval cottages was created by a designer and one of the forefathers of the fantastical architectural style Lawrence Joseph. Its undulating haphazard tiles, curved walls, leaded glass diamond window panes, and charming turtle pond will transport you straight to the Shire. Luckily, it has been spared from the surrounding development in the neighborhood thanks to the L.A. While it is a private estate, you can still stroll past and take in the charm of the place from the street. Storybook style, also known as Fairytale style, really came into its own thanks to Oscar-nominated Art Director Harry Oliver.
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Then, as the mustard-colored house with green trim appears, I know just where I’ve seen this place before. The scene where Ralphie first lays eyes on the Red Ryder BB gun was filmed at the former Higbee building windows in Public Square. That was filmed inside the Higbee building, which is now home to the JACK Cleveland Casino. The Christmas parade featured in the film was also recorded in downtown Cleveland's Public Square.
How Joshua Dickerson became the new owner of 'A Christmas Story' House in Cleveland
The museum is part of a complex of four buildings devoted to the film and is open to the public year round. The House from A Christmas Story has two free parking lots and free street parking on the streets in front of and directly adjacent to the property. Whether it’s the set of the latest Blockbuster unfolding on the streets of your neighborhood or rubbing shoulders with your favorite movie character at Catch. Then there are the more permanent features, like the Storybook architecture that seems to borrow from Disneyland around the corner. Ahead of the 40th anniversary of the timeless classic "A Christmas Story," the house and museum in Cleveland have new owners.
As the movie marks 40 years since its initial release, the cast is returning to Cleveland to celebrate with fans. "It's an interesting property to not only own, but you also have to take care of as a piece of Americana. It's going to be an interesting journey." A Christmas Story House & Museum is pleased to announce that we have reached a deal for a change of ownership. At the end of the day, the charm of A Christmas Story lies in its familiarity and simplicity—and the way it transcends eras and genres, getting at the very things that make us human. Military (active duty and retired) may purchase admission in person at 20% off of full price general admission (one ticket per each valid military ID).
You can find more info on staying overnight in either house here. Next to the main museum building, you can also see the Parker family car, and an old fire engine from the time period of the movie. After the introduction, you’re free to explore the house for a while on your own. You can pose with the leg lamp, check out the Parker’s kitchen (and hide under the sink like Randy), and see the boys’ bedroom and bathroom upstairs. In fact, “A Christmas Story” is now such a classic holiday film that it was selected for preservation in the National Film Registry by the Library of Congress in 2012. But resist the temptation to fire it — you might shoot your eye out.
But the references to mortality and navigating cruel passage of time are deeply affecting; like the original A Christmas Story, family is an anchor even when the real world is stormy. That the A Christmas Story House is in Cleveland has always resonated with Ryan McCartney. Growing up in Lorain, Ohio, he sought out the abode even before it was spruced up and opened to the public. Part of that was because he likes to see the real-life locales where movies were filmed. A Christmas Story was made for a measly $3.3 million (that’s $10.19 million today). Its director, Bob Clark, had previously helmed another holiday film—1974’s decidedly not family-friendly proto-slasher Black Christmas—and was fresh off the success of raunchy sex comedy Porky’s.
The film was marginally successful at the outset, but its accolades and popularity increased over time. Leonard Maltin gave the film four stars, calling it “delightful” and “truly funny.” AOL, IGN, E! Entertainment, and at least one viewer poll have cited A Christmas Story as the top holiday film of all time. After the museum, be sure to browse through the gift shop, where you can buy everything from leg lamps to pink bunny pajamas just like Ralphie’s.
Overnights at either the main house or the Bumpus house, which cost $245 to $995 per night, can be booked online. As I drive the two hours back to my Pittsburgh home, I am eager to watch one of my favorite Christmas movies for the umpteenth time, as well as the new sequel. “This adventure has been awesome, but it’s time for something different,” says Jones, after news broke early this week that A Christmas Story House & Museum is again up for sale. A competitive offer, he says, will be upwards of $10 million.
After putting nearly 20 years of work into the property, the search for a new owner is a very careful process for Jones. In late November, reports emerged that former child actor Yano Anaya, who plays Grover in the original film, was on site asking for donations that would go toward purchasing the house. Video was captured of Jones confronting Anaya, shouting at him to leave the business. But a tattoo is hardly the biggest change on the horizon for Jones. After nearly 20 years of operating the “Christmas Story” home and its accompanying gift shop and museum, he is looking for a new owner.
On this most recent visit, about a dozen people—all tourists from outside of Cleveland, including visitors from Kentucky and Maryland—join my tour. One of them, Kurt Roettjer of Minneapolis, paid $10 at the gift shop to rent and wear a replica of Ralphie’s pink “Deranged Easter Bunny” suit, from the memorable scene where Ralphie’s mother forces him to put on the garment his clueless Aunt Clara made for him. The house, which has become a bucket list tourist destination for film fans around the world, has been ranked by TripAdvisor as one of the top things to do in Cleveland. Overnight stays at the main house and neighboring Bumpus house are also available. “When we say all this can be yours, we’re serious,” according to the initial listing. “The entire campus is for sale, which spans a total of 1.3 acres including five buildings on seven parcels.
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