Bay Area's biggest movie prop shop downsizing after nearly 90 percent rent increase in Brisbane

BRISBANE, Calif. (KGO) -- The biggest movie prop house in the Bay Area is downsizing and selling more than 30,000 items of its inventory. They are the latest victim of rent increases that are pushing many people out and forcing others to close their doors.

If you're a movie buff this is your dream warehouse.

"We have instruments, we have lanterns, sporting goods and all of it was used for TV commercials or movies or catalogs," said Prop House owner Andrew Lewis.

Every alley is packed with cinematography history, from the bench seen in "The Pursuit of Happyness" to torches from "The Matrix."

"These torches were used in that scene and these torches are lit up," said Lewis.

Lewis has owned the Prop House for 30 years and in three weeks everything you see there must go.

"Our hand was forced to do something drastic which was to liquidate 98 percent of our inventory to be affordable and stay in the game," said Lewis.

The property landlord increased his rent unexpectedly and now he has no other option but to sell most of his props.

"How much is the increase? Eighty-nine percent is a lot. I couldn't afford to keep this amount of space at this location," said Lewis.

Andrew Lewis is having to downsize from 30,000 to a little less than 3,000 items.

The "Yes Company" was hired by Lewis to liquidate. At 6 a.m., a line of dozens of people were ready to buy his props.

"It's a 15,000 foot warehouse with 20 foot ceilings and each shelving unit is packed," said Kevin "AJ" Black from the Yes Co. "It's incredible, I've been in business for 20 plus years and have never seen anything like this."

Lewis says he's not attached and understands what's happening in Brisbane and the entire Bay Area

"Eventually the city of Brisbane has passed laws that this whole industrial park will become residential and commercial as far as office buildings," he said. "The plans have been laid out to change the whole dichotomy in this location."

The Prop House will have an ongoing sale for the next four weeks.