Chicago Prop House Tour

Have you ever wondered about how movies get the props they need for their films? Those items that make a room look authentic, that actors interact with and bring action scenes to life are all generally provided by companies like Zap’s Props. Their website says they’re the Midwest’s largest, renting out items for film, television, stage productions, commercials, photography, events, and more. I discovered them through Atlas Obscura’s Chicago Facebook group. They are a great resource for all kinds of history, events, tours and lesser known Chicago sites and attractions. The tour of Zap’s Prop house is offered exclusively through them and I don’t think I would have found it without joining the Facebook Group in the first place. Atlas Obscura has groups for other cities too if you aren’t local. Zap’s prop house tours are limited so as not to interfere with their main business activities and are capped at 20 persons so when you see them posted book fast. Tickets were $30 per person and are purchased through Airbnb experiences.

The Duck Inn

Whenever we are in the city for a tour or other event I try and find a great local restaurant to try. Less than ten minutes away from Zap’s props I found The Duck Inn. Don’t let the outside deceive you , especially since the neighborhood is somewhat industrial. It’s a delicious bar and resteraunt which stays true to its name with lot’s of excellent duck dishes. Not to mention some really special drinks. They have given the decor a very mid-century Mad Men feel even down to the glasses and the drinks. My step-mother said it brought her back to her parents dinner parties growing up. We got to meet the chef and owner as he came out and greeted us personally. We were excited to find out he had a Wisconsin and UW Stout connection and he being a fellow Beatles fan was excited to talk the Fab Four with Ryan. But most importantly , our brunch and drinks were excellent.

Zap’s Prop House

Zap’s Props rents out their items to Movies and shows filming in the Chicago area and beyond. They also rent to local theater productions, shops and events and help decorate restaurants and stores such as their exclusive contract with Chicago famous Portillos Restaurants. Due to all that gear ,the tour is located in an industrial warehouse and this is not even their only location its just the only location you can tour. Walking in is half museum and half antique shop with items as far as the eye can see.

Movie Prop Introduction

The tour begins seated in the antique barber chairs for a presentation. The owner shares about her family history in the business and answers group questions. Then the host, a theatre professor , provides a lesson on props themselves. I felt like I got a free college course. Her presentation includes move clips explaining all the different kinds of props and showing video clips of some of the particular items Zaps has rented out to various films.

Prop Sections

Though the sheer amount of items in their warehouse is overwhelming they have created some semblance of order through having various sections. Each section having seemingly hundreds of versions of just one type of item. For example, the typewriters pictured above and the beer and canned goods sections pictured below. …

Movie Props

A highlight of the Zap’s Prop House Tour were the Hollywood movie props. For example, the chair from High Fidelity, skeletons from Cloud Atlas and pharmacy items from Road to Perdition, all shown above. These are just a sampling of the movie props supplied by Zaps props. We’re going to plan a movie night in and try and find all the items we saw on our tour in their respective movies. You can also see items used in other ways such as decor they make for the Portillo’s restaurants and props they rent out for shows such as the antique wheelchair often used in productions of Annie and the car front used in local productions of Grease.

Instagram Worthy Photos

At the end of the tour , the guide gives you time to wander around on your own and take more pictures. Given all the large and unique props, there are a ton of fun photo opportunities to play around with. It’s a photographers dream in there and they often rent items out for event photo sets. If you are looking for some unique new photos for your instagram feed, look no further.

Our approximately two hour tour was a unique Atlas Obscura exclusive experience. Sure to interest the average movie goer and the expert alike. This Bridgeport hidden gem will unfurl your curiosity in this antiques playground.