Phil Liebmann needs a spreadsheet to keep track of all his Pez candy dispensers. Current count: 1,477 unique, 5,394 total. The Strongsville resident and Pez “pack rat” is eager to pop by PEZAMANIA 17, July 19 through 21 at the Independence Holiday Inn. Liebmann, 29, who appeared in the documentary “PEZheads: The Movie,” says he’ll be searching for “promotional Pez,” hard-to-find dispensers made for special events. “Cleveland has been a great choice,” explains convention organizer Linda Gliha of Conklin, N.Y. “It is centrally located, and the area has many Pez enthusiasts.” Last year’s affair drew fans from 34 states and eight countries, including a German vendor who sold a rare dispenser for $10,000. “For most folks, it’s a nostalgia thing,” says Gliha. “They’re vibrant, happy figures that make you smile.” www.pezamania.com
Hard Rock Café T-shirts bearing the once-trendy globe logo have, for the most part, gone the way of neon colors. But the restaurant chain’s periodic release of special-edition garb for a cause is another story. In mid-June, Hard Rock Café released a slick T-shirt featuring Green Day’s Billie Joe Armstrong above the phrase “Working Class Hero,” the John Lennon song the band performs on a new benefit CD, “Instant Karma.” You can get the CD anywhere, but the $24 T-shirt is a Hard Rock Café exclusive, with a portion of the proceeds from each sale going to Amnesty International’s efforts to raise awareness about the genocide in Darfur, Sudan. You know, “Save the Planet” and all that. 230 W. Huron Road, Cleveland
