Canon City Pez man

Canon City Pez man

Posted: Nov 30, 2009 8:09 PM by Jessica Michaels
Updated: Nov 30, 2009 8:09 PM

Lunch time at Washington Elementary School in Canon City keeps head custodian John Butts busy. When he retreats down the hall to the storage closet that serves as his small office, the mood changes a bit. Filled with bright Pez dispensers, the office looks more like a candy shop then a custodian closet.

His Pez collection started 13 years ago. John was given his first dispenser from the custodian that he replaced. Today he has over 1,000 Pez dispensers of all shapes and sizes. John says he had no clue when he started the collection how many characters existed. "I always think I'm getting close to having them all" he says, "but then over the holiday season they come out with other ones."

As the new ones come out, he adds to his office display. "I have to explain to them, well it's not a candy store. It's my office" he explains, " It just what I collect. If you come by when I'm here you can have the Pez candy."

While his office may be stuffed top the brim with Pez dispensers, there is still one that he is looking for. He adds, "I always thought it would be cool to have a Pez dispenser the size of a mailbox." As the search for the mailbox size Pez dispenser continues, John continues to share his collection with anyone who will stop by.