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Wiggle, wobble: Hula girls are anything but generic. Walker owns many variations of these including blonde girls and nude girls.
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see how they represented Randy's personality. Each collection told a story, just as he does when he talks about his collections or current events. One thing that caught Slivinski's eye was a Transformer lamp Randy had purchased at a flea market. Randy says the lamp has no correlation to his other collections, but instead describes it as one of those, "must-haves."
In addition to fraternity members, Randy opens up his door to many visitors every year. Just recently he began charging people fifty cents to see his collection. Randy says inflation has led him to charge his customers this one time fee, but alumni are always free. "I love having people come over. It's like a wild adventure for them, and I love taking them on it."
As serious as Randy is about collecting, he is just as serious about selling. He has owned a booth at the Antique Mall, 830 Massachusetts St., since it opened 12 years ago. At one time his collections filled up six booths. Antique owner Gwen Billings loves Randy's folk-art collections despite their unusual nature. She says his collections help enhance what the mall does, which is to offer a little bit of everything to the customer. Over the past 12 years, Billings has enjoyed watching people walk past Randy's booth with a raised eyebrow.
Another way Randy buys and sells his collections is through eBay. Before he used eBay, Randy bought two to three rare items a year. Now he can acquire those rare items quicker through the Web site. WHe has mixed emotions about eBay though. It makes buying and selling a lot easier, but it is also causing many flea markets and antique shops to dry up. A “deal” on eBay can also be a rip-off if you're not careful, he says. "eBay might make you think they have rare and expensive items, but they don't and you have to be careful."
Randy's passion for collecting is just as strong as it was when he first visited
Beer bellies: Walker bought these hand-made dolls from different flea markets across the Midwest. If you can't tell whether a doll is a boy or a girl, just lift the can for an anatomically correct surprise.
the dump with his grandparents. A small collection of Roseville pottery has grown into an immense collection full of character and history. Bottle-cap dolls, baby coffins and politically incorrect porcelain girlie figurines all represent a stage in Randy's journey of collecting. He has hit every mom-and-pop flea market from Minnesota to Texas. He travels mostly in the summer, and will sometimes come home with a truck full of items; other times he might end up with nothing. Randy says that's OK, just as long as he can be out on the road.
When he's not, he's in his tiny house in East Lawrence, surrounded by his spectacular displays. Each room in Randy's home is filled with different collections, each uniquely arranged and decorated. His TV room is devoted to 250 socks monkeys, Elvis memorabilia and shelves full of his porcelain girlies. The walls of his kitchen are lined with bottle cap dolls and 1950s flour canisters. On his floor sits two baby coffins alongside a briefcase full of post-mortem photos. His dark living room is full of antique furniture, genie lamps, porcelain black panthers and flamingos. In his basement he has seashell lamps, rugs made out of twinned bread bags, autographs from sideshow freaks, Kurt Vonnegut, Tiny Tim and Charles Manson.
With so much of his life devoted to collecting, it is hard for Randy to find time for romance. A little over four years ago he had a girlfriend, Cari Nedlin, who fell in love with him and his lifelong passion, and didn't mind the long road trips. But after two years, she realized things would never work out between them. However, she still admires Randy and his talent for collecting and decorating. "He knows what's trendy and cool years before it is. He has what some would call a sixth sense," Nedlin says. At the time, what he is buying might seem weird, but a few years down the road you see people buying or wearing what he bought." Randy's parents don't understand why their son has difficulty maintaining a relationship. Sometimes his mother wonders if he is lonely, but then she reminds herself that he's got his collection, which is his true love and makes him happier than anything else.
Look closer: Walker bought this "Montana werewolf" and drove for several miles with it before he realized why it looked familiar: It's a dog's butt.
As Randy continues adding to his collection, he ponders what the future holds. He still intends to continue collecting, but some day has plans to sell a majority of his collections. "It doesn't have the same effect on you after you wake up and see it day after day," he says. Randy has been turning over his collections about every five years. He first began doing this with his Roseville pottery collection. He would have his grandparents buy the pottery cheap in Iowa, then after a few years turn around and sell it in a garage sale in Kansas City.
As Randy makes plans to sell some of his collections, he plans to keep and improve others. He also plans to keep sentimental things such as the sock monkey collection. Because he is well informed about current and past trends he is always looking for something new to collect. He wants to collect more modern items, especially furniture. He's interested in how 1950s style is incorporated into the furniture of today. Even though he collects in stages, sometimes he sees things he cannot live without.
Randy claims collecting is his addiction. He has no limits. He is committed to his passion. His collections are a testament to how truly unique and intriguing a man he is.
— Brant Stacy can be reached at bstacy@kansan.com.