Gympie Roadside Relics motor shop celebrates 40 year anniversary
Gympie’s iconic Roadside Relics is celebrating 40 years in business. With customers from billionaires to the humble collector, both locally and internationally, see why Mike’s shop is so beloved. SEE GALLERY
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An iconic antique motoring shop is ready to celebrate a big business milestone.
Mike Munday, owner of Roadside Relics in Gympie, is celebrating his business’ 40th anniversary in the niche market of antique motoring items ranging from the 1900s to the 1970s.
His collection ranges from antique fuel bowsers, signage, oil bottles, oil drums, and “everything associated with early motoring”.
Mr Munday’s “obsession” began when he purchased a 1927 Chevrolet Capitol for $50 at the age of 13, all the strawberry-picking money he received over the Christmas school holidays.
He purchased a 1950 B.S.A. Bantam motorcycle the following year, and his collection kept growing from there.
Roadside Relics was originally started by his friend, Leo Duffy, and Mr Munday officially joined the business 10 years later and eventually took over as the sole owner.
Mr Munday was initially working as an art teacher, but eventually turned his hobby into a business as he continued to collect vintage motoring items in his free time.
“I’ve always been fascinated with vintage and veteran cars,” he said.
“This is what most people would describe as a lifestyle business. If I wasn’t at work, I’d still be at home playing around with old motor cars and bikes.”
Mr Munday explains the business has had a “very distinct evolution” since Leo started the business in 1984.
“It was very much a hobby-based business when there were very, very few people who collected petrol bowsers - they were seen to be total nutters,” he said.
“People would think, ‘well why on Earth would you collect a petrol bowser or an old signs?’.
“The stuff was worth nothing - or close to nothing.”
He said the business had become a lot more “mainstream”, “respectable”, and “collectable” over the past 15 years, with people even purchasing items with their self-managed super-fund accounts due to the high appreciation of the items.
Mr Munday said he also collected items from international auto meetups, where like-minded fans get together and swap or sell their treasures.
He has supplied items internationally for things such as props for film, television, and advertisements, decor for hotels and restaurants, made deals with wealthy collectors, and even sold antique BP items back to BP.
“Collectors are our main buyers, but we’ve had some interesting projects over the years,” he said.
“At one stage Foster’s Brewing were doing a walkout hotel in the UK - and I think Europe as well - so they were after all sorts of Australiana that we supplied.
“We did another chain [restaurant] called Eddie’s Cafe in Western Australia, and also supplied for the Hogs Breath Cafe. We did a lot for them.
“But we’ve also done a lot for independent themed restaurants and cafes that want bowsers or an old motorbike and such.
“Funnily enough, we’ve even had BP Australia buy BP items from us to present to long-term employees which is quite interesting and amusing.
“Movie props is something that we’ve been involved in for a long time, but the furthest back I can remember is having an old motorcycle that was used by Kylie Minogue in ‘The Delinquents’.”
Recently the business has supplied props for more well-known films.
“The most famous one was probably Paris Hilton’s [film] ‘House of Wax’ where we supplied a certain amount of gear,” he said.
“The most recent one we supplied gear for would be the Elvis movie that was shot on the Gold Coast.
“Also San Andreas starring The Rock. I think there were a few modern petrol pumps that were actually blown up in the movie, so we didn’t get those back.”
“We just get a call out of the blue to say that they’re doing something and it’s Australian 1950s and they need a service station.”
Mr Munday has sold to a lot of people over the years, but one customer sticks in his mind.
“We’ve had loyal customers who have been buying from us for 40 years, but one of the more interesting customers we’ve had would be a property developer in Hong Kong who had a private car museum in Glasgow,” he said.
“He bought 28 full-sized original petrol bowsers and we had to crate them in two containers to Scotland.
“Another interesting one was Clive Palmer when he was getting his museum together down in Coolham. He bought a few pumps and a few bits and pieces.”
He explains he usually sources his items from other collectors who decide they’re ready to let go of some of their stock.
“People are looking at TV shows like American Pickers where Mike and Frank head-off across the states knocking on doors and that sort of thing,” he said.
“I’d go broke very, very quickly if I was doing that. That show is great, but it’s really done for our entertainment.
“I occasionally go pick up individual items here and there, but usually I’m buying from collections.
“It used to be hard work 25 to 30 years ago because I didn’t know as many collectors as I do now.
“What’s happening now is long-term collectors will ring me up and just say, ‘look, I’ve decided it’s time to downscale. I want to let a bit of stuff go’.
“We still get the occasional item that’ll pop up on a farm, but we haven’t picked in 25 or 30 years.
“I guess the challenge is just trying to keep up with what customers want because over the 30-odd years that I’ve been personally involved, we’ve built up a huge client base that are after particular things.
“One of the most satisfying things is the finds. If someone’s got a 1929 Buick and they’re after a 1929 Buick enamel sign, the challenge is trying to find it and then satisfying them with a discovery.”
Despite how many businesses were poorly affected by the COVID-19 lockdowns, it was the busiest time Roadside Relics had experienced.
“Things went absolutely crazy. I think we were spending about $3,500 a month on the Australia Post,” Mr Munday said.
“The past year or so has also been interesting. The top shelf stuff that are thousands of dollars per item, they’d go over the phone instantly.
“There’s been no change in that at all as the people who have got that sort of disposable income, still have [disposable income].
“The run of the mill pieces that might be worth 20, 30, or 50 dollars have slowed down a lot because people are being more careful and selective with how they spend their money.
“The business is still ticking along fine. I think it’s a niche enough market that we’ve got a pretty good established client base.
“Facebook has become our best friend, whereas eBay was 10 to 15 years ago. If we get a little bit quiet here, all I have to do is have a wander around, take a photo of a few bits and pieces, and put them on an appropriate Facebook group and the phone will ring.”
Mr Munday is now looking to downscale the business to a more “manageable” amount of stock - focusing on quality over quantity.
“I’ve got no thoughts about retiring, but I really want to downscale,” he said.
“I’m letting go of some of my long-term bits and pieces. I just need to thin it out.
“I’d like to run the business a bit more on my terms. I’d like to be a bit more flexible to go overseas and do other things.
“The business may very well end up being by appointment only.”
If you’d like to buy, sell, inquire, or visit Mike at Roadside Relics, give him a call on (07) 5482 1400 or visit the showroom on 265 Brisbane Road in Gympie from 9am to 4pm.
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