Dave Hoile, a Newmarket resident who passed away at the age of 70 in December 2022, had a passion for collecting everything from Hot Wheels to Harley Davidson memorabilia. His collection was stored in what his family affectionately referred to as Grandpa's Man Cave, a garage at the family's home. The collection was an assortment of items he picked up from garage sales, flea markets, and events, and it included posters of musicians, Hot Wheels, various car items, and a vast array of Harley Davidson collectibles. Dave would carefully curate and arrange the collection, treating it like a museum, with every item thoughtfully placed.
Dave's love for collecting was a way for him to bond with his three sons. He would connect with them by collecting items that they were interested in, such as comic books, baseball cards, or Beanie Babies. While some of the items in his collection may have had monetary value, it was more about the experience. In warmer weather, he would open up the garage door and share stories about the collection with anyone who was interested. The man cave had a strong element of nostalgia, with posters of all the great musicians of his day, old movie stories, and personal items and photographs.
The Hoiles have now begun to sell some of Dave's collection. The family went through the collection and put aside any mementos they wanted, then posted on a Newmarket community Facebook group that the garage was open for anyone who was interested, for free. A huge turnout occurred, and people were coming with pick-up trucks to fill them up. About a third of the original collection remains, but the family is going to take a break before selling the rest of it as the process has been emotional. They are thinking about opening Grandpa's Man Cave on another day in May or June to sell more of the items. The motivation behind the sale was not to make money but to let other people enjoy the collection, which is what Dave would have wanted. It's hard for the family to sell the items, but they say it was fun talking to the people who came to see the collection.
Video summary:
The Hoile family of Newmarket is sorting through the vast collection of nostalgic items and keepsakes left behind by their late father and husband, Dave Hoile. Dave was a very nostalgic person who loved to relive his youth through various items such as movie posters, personal items from his childhood, and Harley Davidson memorabilia. He also collected Hot Wheels and other nostalgic items, but the Harley Davidson pieces were particularly significant to him. The family referred to his collection as Grandpa's Man Cave.
According to Elizabeth Keith, a reporter from NewmarketToday, Dave's family was all living together in their home in Newmarket, and the garage had become his man cave. As Dave's children grew up, collecting became a way for him to bond with them. When Dave learned that one of his kids was into comic books, he started collecting comic books with his son as a way for their interests to meet. He even did it with his grandchildren, collecting more modern items such as Shopkins to connect with them.
The family recently decided to pass on some of Dave's treasures so that others could enjoy them as much as he did. They posted in a local Facebook group, inviting people to come and see if anything interested them, and they received a large response. At this point, they have passed on about two-thirds of the collection, and they have a lot left that they are hoping to sell or pass on. They are planning to wait for warmer weather to have another garage sale-style event. Dave's collection was not about the monetary value; he just loved these items and wanted others to feel that joy as well.
