Cowabunga dude! Toys return
Sam Westlake is building an extensive collection of toys from the 80’s and 90’s. Photos: Dan Hutchinson
Taupō has its own Toy Story thanks to Sam Westlake.
By Dan Hutchinson
Heading into Kinloch, there’s a right and a left and another right before you head up a long driveway to a modest house on a couple of acres, a double garage and expansive views of Lake Taupō.
Sam greets me in the driveway before leading us through the first half of the garage and into a walled off, windowless area, with a glow of lights coming from under the door.
Passing through into the inner sanctum, there are racks upon racks of 1980’s and 1990’s toys – thousands of them!
There are early Play Stations, a full gang of Ninja Turtles and a zillion other things.
"The gist of it is I kind of go through phases of different things," Sam explains.
Ninja Turtles make a return in Sam Westlake’s Kinloch garage.
"But for the past two years, I'm trying to focus on '80s and '90s action figures. That's the genre I'm trying to stick to."
Sam moved from England to New Zealand at 18. Like many migratory families he moved around a lot in his childhood and lost many of his childhood toys.
"There's definitely a lot of toys here that I remember as a kid playing with or my mates had them as well.”
Now 37, Sam has a six-year-old boy who enjoys the collection too.
"He understands that they're fragile or there's a value to them as well, sentimental and price wise. It's quite a cool way [of connecting] instead of being on iPads and all the other stuff."
Sam’s passion is based on meeting people with a similar passion, and he enjoys the process more than the collection itself.
"If I had to, I'd sell all this in a heartbeat because it's the collecting that you enjoy. There's bigger things in life too."
He has organised collectibles events that draw thousands of people each year in New Plymouth for the past five years and now Taupō.
He shifted east to Taupō about two years ago and immediately set up the Taupō Collectibles Event – like the Taranaki Collectibles event he had already established.
His first event last year at the Great Lake Centre attracted 130 vendors – like-minded people from all over the country who gather to show off their collections and to trade.
This year’s event on June 27 (10am-3pm) is even bigger with 170 vendors booked in requiring a bigger space that includes the theatre next door.
And he does it for the love of it.
"I don't get paid for anything, my perk is I get to buy cool stuff and that's it. I get to meet cool people as well or just new people."
"There's definitely a scene here in Taupō, but it's quite undercover and unless you know people, then you wouldn't have a clue that people collect.”
All but a few of the exhibitors are from out of town.
"We've got some vendors coming up from the South Island and they're selling Game Boys and that kind of gaming stuff, Pokémon cards."
Last year's inaugural event raised more than $4,000 for charity.
This year's beneficiaries are Lake Taupō Hospice and Unseen Heroes.
The Lake Taupō Hospice Shop will operate two vendor tables at the event, selling donated items Sam has helped collect through his volunteer work there.
Entry is $5 and free for children under 10. All door takings go to the charities.
The event is a celebration of pop culture and collectibles with vendors selling everything from vintage action figures to gaming consoles, Pokémon cards and collectible memorabilia. There is even Crown Lynn pottery and antiques this year.
Cosplay Star Wars Jedis will return in greater numbers this year, along with a life-size remote control R2-D2.
Hands-on activities include learn-to-paint sessions for Warhammer and Dungeons & Dragons figures.
Local businesses have supported the event through prize donations.
The event attracts collectors from all over the country who queue as early as 7.30am for first access to rare finds, while general attendees arrive throughout the day.
