The Mule Kick

Went through Leadville with expectations of a barren town consisting only the remnants of an old mining community. With such expectations, The Mule Kick was just that, a shock that this town has a great thrift store. The boutique offers a refreshing and plentiful amount of clothing at reasonable prices, spiced up with an old western kick.
From the outside, the establishment does look promising: a cool sign and window revealing decorations and well-​dressed mannequins. Upon entrance, the section to my immediate right was outfitted for the upcoming holiday, the Fourth of July. A rack of patriotic clothes is filled with a wide array of pro-​american outfits: everything from cowboy flannels, to jackets, to tank-​tops (I actually purchased the last one — the owner told me it was the best buy on that shelf). I believe they always have a section set up for upcoming holidays, which is a great idea. There is a clearance rack that lead me to a nice 60’s style button up for $ 5.00 — I believe all items on the rock were offered at $ 5.00.
The men’s clothing section consists of a wide array of pants, jackets, and shirts. The shirts are varied and cater to all styles, from sweet Metallica or Slayer cutoffs, to fashionable fine trimmed formal wear, a spectrum from trashy to classy.
My female Leadville exploration partner was impressed by the wide selection of clothing offered for women. Some of the more choice dresses are vintage, and definitely unique. Either the owner I spoke with or his wife who I believe does a lot of the actual work on the clothing have reconstructed some average t’s into some wild and exciting shirts, low cut, and complete with frills. That cater to that niche closet space that calls out for something wild and yet awesome.
The Tie selection is quite extensive, although a few of the ties were stained. Nearly purchased a very nice $ 10.00 vintage tie before I noticed the discoloration (All ties are $ 10.00, as I believe are the sunglasses).
In terms of the customer service the owner was very inviting, and it was refreshing, although somewhat unsuccessful, to bargain with him for some sweet deals. I did bring up some valid points, «Hey I’m buying two shirts, I should get a discount», but to no end. I do believe he gave my exploration partner a sympathy deal for my efforts. Nice. All and all, it was much better than the shopping experience I would have envisioned to partake in in the town of Leadville.

What a shocker! I love thrift/​consignment stores and have been to the best rated ones from Manhattan to Southern California, Maui, Hawaii and even Rome, Italy! This place is somehow one of my most favorites! More along the line of if you need ANYTHING luxurious, unique and warm, it will be here! I have to admit to having very low expectations, BUT I won’t miss another chance to stop in whenever at all possible, love love love this place and couldn’t help noticing other customers who were equally addicted!

Catering to hipsters of all ages, this place has some super cool stuff! From saddle shoes to western shirts and cool sunglasses, you can find some classic (and modern) pieces!
The prices were more like what you’d expect from more trendy thrift stores like The Buffalo Exchange in Austin, Tx. Clearance items were $ 5 and I saw clothing from $ 10-​$ 25 a piece, so you might pay a little more for any gem you find, but the clothing isn’t worn out and it’s stuff that you’d want to wear more than once, so it’s worth it.
The store is also nice and orderly, however, I was wishing the clothing would be organized by size so I wasn’t digging through all of it (marketing scheme, tho?). I found this great late 70s dress for $ 10. If I’m ever in Leadville again, I’ll be going back!