ST. CLAIR SHORES, Mich. (WXYZ) — What started with a single Snoopy doll has grown into a massive, 60-year collection — and a museum that has raised nearly $50,000 for local charities in St. Clair Shores.
Watch Peter Maxwell's report below
Tucked inside Mike's On The Water along the Nautical Mile is a Snoopy museum unlike anything most visitors have ever seen.
"Everybody collects something. I happen to collect Snoopy's," owner Michael LeFevre said.
From the outside, there's no hint of what's waiting inside the waterfront restaurant. But step through the doors and you'll walk straight into Snoopy history.
"I think anything that could be a Snoopy or have a Snoopy on it is here," Audrie Strum of Grosse Pointe said.
"I've never seen so many Snoopy's ever in my life. There's so many!" Amy Cotten of Grosse Pointe said.
More than 16,000 Snoopy collectibles fill the museum, from Pez dispensers to original artwork and classic Peanuts memorabilia. Nearly every inch of space — from the floor to the two-story ceiling — is covered.
"A lot of stories in here. Every cabinet has a story," LeFevre said.
LeFevre's love for Snoopy began in 1965, when his father brought his sister Susan Marie home from the hospital.
"He was carrying her into the house in one hand and in the other hand was a plush Snoopy, an 18-inch plush Snoopy, and I grabbed it, slept with it and the rest is history," LeFevre said.
The collection spans more than 60 years and includes pieces from around the world.
"I found him in Paraguay, I found him in Rio, I found him in China, I found him in Germany, I found him in Russia — yes, Snoopy's worldwide," LeFevre said.
While his passion for Snoopy began with his sister's birth, the museum now serves as a tribute to her memory. Susan died in 2012 after battling breast cancer.
"She called me Snoop and I called her Snoop, and it's got a great passionate bond right there," LeFevre said.
Since the museum opened three years ago, visitors have helped raise nearly $50,000 for local charities — turning a lifelong passion into something that gives back to the community.
"When people come see the museum, we suggest to put a couple of bucks in the box," LeFevre said.
Whether you're a lifelong Snoopy fan or simply curious, the hidden gem is quickly becoming a destination along the Nautical Mile.
"It's a passion," LeFevre said.
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