The Hollywood-Maxwell’s Intimate Apparel Shop (1955–1956) was one of the most peculiar and short-lived attractions on Disneyland’s Main Street, U.S.A., offering a mix of lingerie retail and a historical exhibit on undergarments, headlined by the quirky “Wizard of Bras.” Sponsored by the Hollywood-Maxwell Brassiere Company of Los Angeles, this shop stood out in the family-friendly park with its Victorian charm and bold concept, closing after just six months due to mismatched theming and guest disinterest.
Here are 10 fun facts about this risqué Main Street oddity, bursting with 1950s flair and Disneyland nostalgia!
- Opening Day Oddity: The Intimate Apparel Shop opened with Disneyland on July 17, 1955, as one of 50 “famous names in American business” selected to lease Main Street shops, helping fund Walt Disney’s park. It was located between Ruggles China & Glass Shop and Grandma’s Baby Shop.
- Wizard of Bras Star: The shop’s centerpiece was the “Wonderful Wizard of Bras,” a mechanical figure (not a true Audio-Animatronic) that emceed a narrated show on a revolving stage. Voiced via tape recorder, he showcased 1890s corsets versus 1950s bras, delighting some and baffling others.
- Victorian Vibe: The shop’s decor screamed 1890s elegance, with an 1860 Singer sewing machine and 3D display boxes where mannequins’ outerwear “vanished” to reveal corsets and pantaloons as you shifted your view—a cheeky effect that raised eyebrows.
- Porch for Shy Husbands: Uniquely, the shop had Main Street’s only front porch, set back from the street. Theories suggest it was a waiting spot for husbands too shy to enter or a modesty buffer to obscure racy window displays, as noted by Imagineer Rolly Crump in his memoir.
- Lingerie for Sale: Half the shop was a “corseteria,” selling Hollywood-Maxwell’s latest bras, torsolettes, and petticoats, like the pointy V-Ette Whirlpool bra. Guests could buy 1955’s trendiest undergarments, though many skipped this souvenir.
- Educational Exhibit: The other half was a “modest museum” tracing underwear history, from Victorian corsets to modern shapewear.
- Quick Closure: The shop shuttered in January 1956, lasting just six months. While outlasting Grandma’s Baby Shop, it closed due to poor fit with Disneyland’s family vibe and Hollywood-Maxwell opting not to renew their lease. The space became part of Ruggles China & Glass.
- Mixed Guest Reactions: A September 1955 Disneyland News article noted men, especially older gentlemen, hesitated to enter, while women were intrigued by the history lesson.
- Wizard’s Legacy: The Wizard of Bras, possibly Disneyland’s earliest “robot,” predated Audio-Animatronics, though it was less sophisticated, using basic mechanics. Its eerie, cone-hatted image lingered in Hollywood-Maxwell ads, like one in Bride’s Magazine (1956).
- Nostalgic Cult Status: Vintage photos from the Orange County Archives show the shop’s ornate yellow facade, and a rare 1955 audio clip of the Wizard’s narration survives online.Hollywood-Maxwell merged with Vassar in 1958, becoming Vassarette under Munsingwear (now Jockey), meaning the Wizard’s bra legacy technically lives on
