POP-A-PEZ was created by Kurt Seefeld. I have been collecting since late 1996 and currently have around 635 different dispensers in my collection. Although I began collecting only the dispensers, over the years I have found considerable enjoyment searching for other PEZ artifacts such as vintage vending machines, and advertisements. In 1997, I decided to share my PEZ knowledge with others by creating this web site. Originally titled, The Ultimate PEZ Resource, my web site featured news, photos of my collection and general PEZ know-how. In 1998, I was contacted by PEZ USA, based out of Connecticut, and they offered to share late breaking news and exclusive photos with me. Shortly thereafter, I developed www.popapez.com, a web site devoted to an internet-based newsletter for PEZ collectors worldwide.

In 1998, POP-A-PEZ released its first internet-based newsletter. At the time, there were two competing newsletters out on the market; namely, the Fliptoppezervation Society, and Pez Collector's News (PCN). Both publications charged for subscription, but I decided to distribute my newsletter free of charge. Every issue was packed full of photos, late-breaking news, collector finds and stories, as well as general articles discussing developments within the hobby. At the time, I was still in high school, and just beginning to hone my web-developing skills. Eventually, each issue became better than the last and by the sixth issue, the number of subscribers had increased 300% from the release date of the first issue. At the peak of its popularity, the POP-A-PEZ newsletter had 2200 subscribers.

By 2001, several other internet publications began to take shape, and the snail-mail newsletter known as the Fliptoppezervation Society, called it quits. At the same time, I was in the midst of finishing my senior year of high school, and the pressures of school work and college recruiting became very time consuming. I soon found it difficult to write the newsletter as often as I would have liked and the deadlines I set were often hard to reach. After graduation I decided to put the POP-A-PEZ newsletter on hold so I could gauge how the adjustment to college life would be. In fall 2002, I matriculated at the University of California, Berkeley as a full-time collegiate student-athlete, competing on the track and field team. After a few weeks at the Division 1 level, it was clear that I would have very little time for my extra-curricular activities, and returning to the newsletter was no longer a top priority. I knew, however, that some day I would return to the newsletter and publish again. With some planning, I decided to transition my web site from a newsletter focus toward a PEZ information resource, as I had done with my first site, The Ultimate PEZ Resource. In addition, I created an online store where I could sell my extra dispensers and exclusive web promotions. The online store was full of hard to find and vintage PEZ for sale, as well as current dispensers. Equipped with a secure server and online shopping cart, PEZ began to fly off the shelves, and within months, my entire stock was depleted. As the fate of my newsletter, I had to shut down my online store as well.

Since 2002, I spent a considerable amount of time away from the hobby of PEZ collecting. In fall 2004, I traveled and studied abroad in Copenhagen, Denmark, for six months. This time overseas ignited my interest in PEZ once again. Scouring kiosks and grocery stores for the latest PEZ releases, my enthusiasm for the hobby began to build. I even took a "PEZ pilgrimage" to Austria, the home of PEZ Candy, and visited the original factory in Traun. Soon after returning to the United States, I began to brainstorm new ideas and designs for POP-A-PEZ. In early 2005, I began construction on a new POP-A-PEZ, a site that would revive not only the interest of my visitors, but also my own passion for PEZ. By the summer months of 2006, I plan to not only have the new site fully-functional, but also release my own web site exclusive dispenser. The past four years at www.popapez.com haven't been as smooth as I envisioned back in early 2002; but nevertheless, the "Ultimate PEZ Resource" is back once again, stronger than ever.

Contact Information
Name: Kurt Seefeld
Email: kurt@popapez.com