Canadian auto dealer was saddened to hear about the recent passing of prominent Nova Scotia dealer Lloyd MacDonald.
MacDonald was a dealer for more than four decades, starting out in 1957, when he co-founded Scotsman Motors, a Studebaker dealership in Sydney, N.S. Two years later, he branched out on his own, establishing Lloyd MacDonald Sales in Sydney River, leasing a Gulf service station and selling Mercurys and Meteors. In 1967, married and with a family of seven children and another on the way, MacDonald took a gamble in establishing one of the first Datsun franchises in Canada. The gamble proved ultimately to be a wise move and as the 1970s unfolded, Datsun went from strength to strength as did Lloyd MacDonald Auto Sales.
By the 1980s, four of MacDonald’s sons had joined him in the business and through a series of memorable television commercials (in which he donned traditional Japanese style clothing — given to him during a trip to Japan) he became known as “Tokyo Lloyd.” In 1992 MacDonald acquired Breton Toyota and also became one of the first Kia dealers in Canada. Today, the family business, known as MacDonald Auto Group, has locations in Sydney and Port Hawkesbury and comprises Nissan, Toyota, Chrysler, Ford and Kia franchises.
Besides being successful in business, MacDonald had a passion for the arts and was talented with the fiddle and violin. Adopted by his uncle Jack and aunt Elizabeth after his father died when he was just six months old, MacDonald was introduced to music and learned to play the violin at the age of six. He performed in local theatre productions and later participated in live sessions on CJCB radio in Sydney.
In the late 1980s, MacDonald, along with his wife Winnie, founded the traditional Celtic music band Scumalash (which in Gaelic slang loosely translates to “get off the wagon before you get hurt” in reference to childhood days when MacDonald rode on his grandfather’s wagon to school). MacDonald and his band were regulars on the Gaelic music circuit, not only in Canada but also frequently toured the United Kingdom, France and the U.S. In 1992 Scumalash released its first, self-titled album and this was followed up with a second in 2011 entitled Aires in Bloom. Besides music; gardening, hockey and giving back to the community were all a major part of MacDonald’s life.
Lloyd MacDonald is survived by his wife Winnie, ten sons (James, Chris, Paul, Michael, Ron, Mark, Patrick, Shawn, Daniel and Martin) two daughters (Annie and Alexandra) and 16 grandchildren. The team at Canadian auto dealer would like to extend our deepest sympathies and best wishes to the MacDonald family.
