Small quirky museums and roadside attractions are some of my
favorite places to visit. Yes, The Met and the Louvre have the big-name art
pieces, but I love stopping to see the ways that ordinary people have devised
to entertain themselves and each other. Driving back to New York from New Haven
gave me the chance to explore such a place.
Everyone remembers PEZ candy and their wonderful dispensers. What you might not know is that they are
manufactured in the town of Orange CT, just west of New Haven. They are still
producing those little pills and keeping their selection of characters up to
date.
PEZ were first manufactured and sold in Austria by Eduard Haas III, and the HAAS family still controls 67% of the company
today. The name PEZ came from the word PfeffErminZ, German for peppermint,
which was the original flavor. The mints were sold in tins, similar to the way
Altoids are today. In the 1930’s the HAAS company began to sell dispensers that
were similar in size and shape to cigarette lighters. In 1955 HAAS started
selling new dispensers with the head of cartoon characters on top, and a
collectable fad was started. Santa Claus and Mickey Mouse have been among the
first available, and they are the best-selling characters of all time. Since
the 1950’s over 1500 different characters have been produced and sold, and they
remain up to date, with the newest offereings from Star Wars and Marvel, including
the new Captain Marvel.
Wall of PEZ |
Baseball Dispensers |
Cartoon Dispensers |
Thanos and Captain Marvel |
The PEZ Visitor Center is located at its Orange CT factory.
The walls are lined with all things PEZ. In the lobby you are greeted with a
wall displaying one copy of every PEZ dispenser ever created. As you walk
through the center you will find a collection that takes you through the
history of the candy. In one case are the many iterations of the Santa Claus
dispensers, in another all of the Disney princesses. Keep looking and you will
find every Batman, Joker and Catwoman. You will even find a fully working PEZ
motorcycle created by the guys at Orange County Choppers, known for their
custom bikes and Discovery TV show. You can also take some time to look in one
the factory floor, and on some days even have the opportunity to make some
candies yourself.
Factory Floor |
PEZ Girl Costume |
PEZ vending machines |
So, stop by the PEZ Visitors Center. It is a trip down memory
lane. Find your favorite classic dispenser, and maybe a new one for you to take
home.
Admission (price
includes a $2 credit in the gift shop):
Adults $5
Children and seniors $4
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