SIERRA VISTA (KGUN9-TV) - The force is strong within the KGUN9 viewers, but can they compare to Chris Cooper's collection?
The Sierra Vista resident may have the largest collection in southern Arizona - and beyond.
"This is something that I've done for my whole life pretty much," Cooper said. "At 7-years-old, all the way up to 46."
Cooper tells KGUN9, it all started in a movie theater in 1977 when the very first 'Star Wars' film made its debut.
"Well, when I'd seen the movie - the movie was something no one's ever seen," Cooper said.
Since that moment, he said - he's been collecting. Now, it's grown from a hobby to an out-of-this world collection.
"What I'm focusing on - basically - is pretty much the world of 'Star Wars' from '77 to '85," Cooper said.
There is no specific item. Instead, Cooper's collection ranges from anything and everything: From magazines, action figures, costumes, underwear, books, vinyls, signed plaques, etc.
But, what KGUN9 saw was not even close to the entire collection.
"This is just a tease. Actually, I've had everything in storage since 2002," Cooper said, going on to explain how he had big plans to bring them out from the dark side.
"It's all going to be professional set-up," Cooper said. "I'm going have a museum lighting, display cases in here. It's going be something that when people come in their mouths are going drop."
It's that kind of reaction that has kept Cooper collecting all of these years. He loves the chance to make other people remember their childhood.
"The fullfilment that I have is being able to share my collection and seeing the kids getting excited," Cooper said."Seeing that mom and dad are going back to the time when they were kids."
