CARMEL — Step into Rick Stephan's 2,300 square foot basement in Carmel and your eyes will be aghast.
Each square foot is perfectly filled with M&M trinkets and collectibles.
The basement was intended to be a space for his mother in law to live, a full kitchen and fully furnished spaces.
However, Stephan calls it his junior M&M world. After starting his collection 30 years ago, he has garnered quite the number of items.
"I think I have around 3,000," he said.
It all started when his three daughters gifted him a basketball M&M figurine, the rest is history.
Stephen's wife says no M&Ms upstairs so the basement is where all his collectibles have found a home.
Inside the basement, you will find just about anything you can imagine M&M themed.
"I am a collector at heart," he said.
Pillows, cookie jars, phones, salt and pepper shakers, the list could go on for days.
"Lip balm, watches, radios, a Christmas tree, an entire kitchen stocked with M&M items. Cups, plates, bowls, cookie jars, serving platters, magnets, ice cream scoops," Stephan said.
Perhaps the star of the show though, a rolling platform over his pool table to display a custom M&M themed model train.
It helps the 74-year-old pass the time.
"I have created a lot of these things with my grandkids."
Built around the train tracks, a town equipped with billboards, homes, and yellow M&M being abducted by a UFO.
There are even smoke stacks made from mini M&M bottles.
"There is a basketball court that I painted," Stephan said.
The neighborhoods are made from Department 56-painted porcelain buildings. "A lot of people like those," Stephan said.
Some of his favorites are displayed in cases, one of those a Pirates of the Caribbean entire scene.
Each have their own values and some are pretty rare to come by.
Like his perpetual calendar with all 12 pieces to make up the months.
He even has pieces from places overseas like China, London, and Australia.
"There's just fun. When you come down here or go someplace where there are m&ms you just feel good. So, if I am feeling not so good I like to come down here and most of these guys are smiling and you can't help but feel a little happier," Stephan said.
It's that feeling of being a kid again, finding happiness even in the smallest things like an M&M with his daughter's faces on them.
But Stephan isn't done collecting, he knows what pieces he is missing that he wants to add to his collection.
"Every time I think I have them all then I find that there is one or two that I don't have. I have one coming in the mail and there is one I can't find that's a cowboy," he said.
The top want on Rick's list to add to his collection is a cowboy salt and pepper shaker.
Nonetheless, the joy a piece of candy brings to this man's life and all those who get to peek into the basement is worth the investment.
Stephan is so dedicated he even named the family cat Bruno, a play on words to music artist Bruno Mars. Because Mars is the company that makes M&M.
