For most people, buying a house is about location, square footage and whether the kitchen and bathrooms need renovating. For Behman Zakeri, purchasing a home in Astoria, Oregon, meant something much bigger. It was about becoming the caretaker of a piece of movie history.
Zakeri, a self-described superfan of the 1985 adventure classic The Goonies, purchased the iconic white Victorian home featured in the film for just over $1.65 million. Built in 1896, the house served as the Walsh family home, where young Mikey and his friends discovered the treasure map that launched their unforgettable adventure.
Now, nearly four decades after the movie inspired generations of fans to believe adventure could be hiding just around the corner, Zakeri has made it his personal mission to ensure the house’s story continues. For Zakeri, the house represents childhood memories, friendship and a beloved piece of cinematic history that he longed to protect.
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A Childhood Dream Comes True
Zakeri first watched The Goonies when he was 8-years-old. The film, directed by Richard Donner from a story by Steven Spielberg, quickly became more than a favorite movie. Its themes of loyalty, friendship and standing up for what matters stayed with him.
“From the time I saw the ‘Goonies’ when I was eight-years-old, I’ve dreamed of someday owning the ‘Goonies’ house and finding One-Eyed Willy’s treasure,” he told Oregon Beach Magazine.
The film follows a group of neighborhood kids who call themselves “the Goonies.” Facing the prospect of losing their homes to foreclosure, they discover an old treasure map in the Walsh family attic and set off in search of the legendary pirate One-Eyed Willy’s fortune. Their journey takes them through underground passages, dangerous traps and a series of increasingly improbable adventures.
When the Astoria property went on the market, Zakeri’s offer wasn’t the highest, but he believed he had something more important to offer. He had a true commitment to protecting the home’s legacy. The seller ultimately chose him, recognizing that the property was going to someone who understood its significance and wanted to preserve it rather than simply capitalize on its fame. Making the purchase happen required multiple loans and a substantial amount of personal savings. But Zakeri was determined.
View this post on InstagramRelated: ‘Goonies’ Star Jeff Cohen Celebrates Ke Huy Quan’s Major Milestone 41 Years Later: ‘My Brother’
Recreating a Piece of 1985
Buying the house was only the beginning. Zakeri wanted to do more than maintain the property. He wanted to bring it back to the way fans remembered it from the big screen.That meant an ambitious restoration project involving a creative team that included Emmy-winning production designer James Pearse Connelly.
The goal was to recreate the home’s 1985 movie appearance as faithfully as possible, using historically appropriate paint colors, period-inspired furnishings and carefully selected exterior details. The familiar white exterior, red window trim and white picket fence were restored. Even playful details associated with the movie, like the family’s chicken coop, helped evoke the film.
Completed before the film’s 40th-anniversary celebrations in June 2025, the restoration gave fans an opportunity to revisit a familiar landmark that had been carefully returned to its movie-era appearance.
Also, authenticity was essential for Zakeri. He was not interested in giving the house a modern makeover or turning it into something unrecognizable. The objective was to preserve what made it special in the first place. “The number one goal of buying this thing, was to preserve it, lock it down, so it doesn’t change,” he shared with Oregon Public Broadcasting. “We didn’t want it to get bulldozed.”Related: Tony Amatullo, ‘The Goonies’ Location Manager & Warner Bros. VP, Dies at 76
A Movie Landmark With Real-Life Neighbors
Owning one of America’s most recognizable movie houses comes with an unusual complication: Hundreds of people may show up outside your front door simply because they love a movie.
The Goonies house has attracted legions of visitors. For fans, it’s a pilgrimage. For nearby residents, it’s also a busy residential street. Zakeri welcomes respectful visitors while working with the city and neighborhood to manage crowds. The home’s website ask that people park away from the property, walk up the hill, keep noise down and admire the house from public areas. Also, the Goonies house remains a private residence, not a public museum. There are no interior tours, and visitors must stay off the porch and fenced property.
Friends Make the Perfect Neighbors
And there is another delicious detail in this story. Zakeri originally envisioned sharing ownership of the famous house with his childhood friend Michael Eakin. When they discovered that the neighboring property was also available, they found a way to make their old dream even better.
Zakeri would purchase the Goonies house, while Eakin would buy the home next door.After all these years, the childhood friends would become neighbors again. It’s a fitting twist for a film whose central message was always about friendship and sticking together, even when the odds seemed impossible.Related: ‘Stand by Me’ Cast: Where Are They Now, 40 Years Later?
Goonies Never Say Die
Four decades after Mikey and his friends set out to find One-Eyed Willy’s treasure, their fictional home has found a new guardian.
For Zakeri, his mission is simple. Keep the house standing, preserve its history and make sure future generations of Goonies have somewhere to visit, even from a cautious distance. As he told That Grow Podcast, “I bought it to share it with the world, as long as ‘Goonies’ are respectful.”
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