I always enjoy stopping in and visiting Steve Spain at The Costume Trunk on Main Street. He’s a kindred spirit and always fun to chat with. And The Costume Trunk is a store that when you walk in to it, it feels like Halloween, Mardi Gras and a Broadway play all rolled up into one fun mind-boggling experience! And I’ve got another excuse for stopping by there today, I’ve heard a rumor that Steve is the author of a new book and I want to hear more about this and see what this book is all about, so let’s head on over to The Costume Trunk on Main Street!
Here we are at The Costume Trunk. The Costume Trunk has been here on Main Street for over three decades, making it one of the most long-lasting businesses on Main Street in Peoria. It’s also one of the most unique stores not only on Main Street, but in the whole city of Peoria! If you've never stopped in, you should check it out when you have a chance!
The front windows always have colorful displays of costumes and in the middle of the two Costume Trunk stores is Trunk Towers! Could this mean a presidential bid for Steve Spain in the future? Will he plan on building a wall around Peoria to keep folks from Goofy Ridge out? Well, stay tuned to find out about all of that, but for now, let’s go inside and see what’s happening in The Costume Trunk!
Oh, oh, looks like Steve’s busy with a customer, well, we’ll just look around till he’s got time for us! There’s always plenty of things to look at in here. There’s theatrical make-up, fun toys and gadgets, Halloween masks, costumes, wigs and giant mascot heads slowly being smothered to death by plastic bags up on a shelf near a ceiling. Clearly Steve has a bit of a maniacal streak in him!
There’s a PJ Star article on Steve proclaiming him, “The Man Behind The Masks,” and there’s a whole wall of specialty masks in the store to prove that fact!
It looks like Steve has taken care of another happy customer here at The Costume Trunk!
Now it’s our time to visit with Steve, the man not only behind the masks, he’s also the man behind the counter! Let’s get him out from behind there to pose with...
A Snow White outfit hanging on a rack in the store. I wanted Steve to pose with this outfit because he not only sells and rents Disney outfits he...
Also collects Disney art and has recently written a book about his extensive collection and the book is appropriately titled: “The Art of Disney’s “Golden Age” Films and the Animation Process That Brought Them To Life—The Steve Spain Disney Art Collection.” Steve’s been collecting Disney art for over 30 years and his collection can now be seen and read about in this book.
In the book Steve gives his own personal thoughts and insights on the Disney artwork in his collection and there’s also facts and information about how art for movies was made and put together for movies before the digital age had dawned and changed the whole process. The book layout was done by John and Sharon Amdall and Steve’s art collection was photographed by Steve’s sister, Delayne Spain. The entire book is published in four color process on heavy duty paper and it’s quite an impressive work!
Here’s some pages from the book. As you can see, there’s not only impressive art prints in here with thoughts and recollections from Steve, but there’s also technical background information that’s really interesting for both film buffs and even those with just a casual interest.
I love how the book illustrates the fine detail that Disney went to for their animation process. These six art stills show a door handle being slightly opened in Cinderella.
There’s also historical information about Disney art and archival black and white shots of Walt Disney.
An article written by Jonathan Wright in Peoria’s Art & Society magazine on Steve’s collection is also reprinted in the book.
You can purchase the book at The Costume Trunk, I Know You Like A Book and The Peoria Airport Gift Shop.
Here’s Steve selling another copy of the book to Brandi from Spook Hollow! Stop in and pick up a book before he sells out of the first edition and they become collector’s items! We’ll see you all tomorrow!
The Costume Trunk
710 West Main Street
Peoria
309-637-4234
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Related Posts: Shop Hop—The Costume Trunk and Doyle’s Automotive And The Costume Trunk.