State to auction Breakfast Club memorabilia

Chronicle Media
These seats, which are set up on the steps of the old Maine North High School that was used for filming and is now a state of Illinois office building, will be up for auction throughout June. Photo from Illinois Department of Central Management Services

These seats, which are set up on the steps of the old Maine North High School that was used for filming and is now a state of Illinois office building, will be up for auction throughout June. Photo from Illinois Department of Central Management Services

In celebration of the 30th anniversary of the “The Breakfast Club,” fans of the iconic movie will have the unique opportunity to own a piece of the show’s history when the State of Illinois launches an exclusive online auction of a limited number of theater seats from the actual movie set throughout the month of June. The Illinois Department of Central Management Services (CMS), together with the Illinois Film Office, announced plans to auction 30 chairs from the actual theater shown in the opening scene of the movie on the state of Illinois’ iBid website.

“The late John Hughes was a legendary producer with a profound impact on the film industry,” said Illinois Film Office Director Christine Dudley. “The “Breakfast Club,” filmed in Illinois, defined a generation. We are excited to allow fans the opportunity to have a piece of memorabilia from this iconic film.”

“iBid is an innovative resource led by the state of Illinois to auction surplus property and generate revenue. “The Breakfast Club” special auction is a tremendous opportunity to build interest and boost registered bidders on the website that will lead to an increase in competition for other items up for sale,” said CMS Director Tom Tyrrell.

The famous 1985 movie, starring Emilio Estevez, Anthony Michael Hall, Judd Nelson, Molly Ringwald and Ally Sheedy, was filmed at the old Maine North High School in Des Plaines, Illinois.  After filming, the high school was purchased by the state and converted into a regional office building used by various state agencies, including the Illinois Department of Central Management Services’ Division of Surplus Property.

Online bidding for “The Breakfast Club” theater chairs will take place during the month of June, beginning at 8 a.m. on Friday, May 29th and will begin to close the following Friday at 6 p.m. The sets will be sold in varying numbers, starting with five sets of one and leading up to two sets of four.

Online bidding for items will begin at 8 a.m. every Friday beginning May 29, and will close the following Friday at 6 p.m. with the last auction closing Friday, June 26.

• Five single theater chairs: Friday, May 29 – Friday June 5 • Four sets of two theater chairs: Friday, June 5 – Friday, June 12 • Three rows of three theater chairs: Friday June 12 – Friday, June 19 • Two rows of four theater chairs: Friday, June 19 – Friday, June 26

Fans are invited to register to bid on the chairs and view the auction online at iBid, the State’s online auction website located at http://ibid.illinois.gov.

The iBid web site allows users to browse and bid for a equipment no longer needed by the state of Illinois and registered local governments. Winners are notified immediately upon closing of the sale and may pay for items online via credit card (MasterCard or Visa) or certified check or money order. Each week, surplus equipment such as vehicles, electronics, antiques, office furniture, and much more is offered to more than 26,000 registered bidders. In FY14, CMS’ iBid sold more than $3.6 million in surplus equipment.

CMS provides a broad range of programs and services to state agencies and the public. These include human resources and employee benefits, information technology and telecommunications, property and facilities management, procurement and business diversity, vehicle fleet management, and media and marketing. For more information about CMS, go to: http://www2.illinois.gov/cms/Pages/default.aspx