A lifetime of collecting… then selling

North End

Hey there, time traveller!
This article was published 04/12/2024 (651 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.

When I was a kid, between the ages of, say, seven and 10, I collected stamps, coins and comics. Then I collected magazines – Mad, Heavy Metal, and National Lampoon. Then I got into music and started collecting LPs, cassettes, music books and anything music-related. I remember thinking in my teen years that if I took good care of these collectibles they would increase in value. I treated them as investments (almost like RRSPs).

Eventually I started setting up at record collector trade shows and selling some of my collectibles. Then I found a couple of flea markets in town – Thirsty’s on Ellice Avenue and the Mulvey Market in South Osborne at 421 Mulvey Ave. E., just south of the transit overpass. Wow, what a revelation. I realized there is quite a large community of collectors of all sorts of things.

For the last two winters, I have rented space at the Mulvey Market, selling mostly music-related stuff and my concert photos. I have met some intriguing people in the process, both vendors and collectors/buyers. Whatever you’re looking for, you can find it at Mulvey Market, everything from antiques, jewellery, trading cards, books, art, stereos, toys… you name it – even tools.

Unfortunately, the main tool vendor at Mulvey Market, Wally the Toolman, recently passed away at 92 years old. Wally drove back and forth from Steinbach every Saturday and Sunday for the last 10-plus years to man his table. Wally was a fascinating fellow who loved his road trips. He and his wife bought a motorhome years ago and travelled all over the place. His wife passed away in 1981, but Wally continued his travels, even driving to Arizona by himself last year.

Wally was a real inspiration to me and shared some interesting stories with me every weekend. I was quite saddened to hear of his passing. I went to his funeral and learned so much more – he built his own airplane, for crying out loud. The centrepieces on the tables at the funeral were flowers or candles but, you guessed it, tools… and everyone went home with one of his Allen wrenches.

Wally is going to be missed by all the vendors and customers alike at the market. I’m glad to have met this wonderful man, it’s hard to believe I only knew him for just over a year; with the stories he shared, I felt like I have known him all my life. The owner of Mulvey Market, Keenan, plans to put Wally’s red ‘tools’ sign where his booth was and call it Wally’s Corner (or something like that).

Anyway, I digress. If you want to find something really unique or interesting this year for a Christmas gift and support local vendors, maybe the Mulvey Market could be your one-stop Christmas shop. If nothing else, the market could stir up some childhood memories of that toy you played with as a kid, or those coins, stamps or Mad magazines or records you collected back in the day.