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If you have been through Hotchkiss, there is no way you missed the iconic blue horse that has marked the main drag for years. The proud owners of this equine landmark and the Cowboy Collectibles tack shop are Glenn and Vicki Miles.
Glenn and Vicki have owned Cowboy Collectibles for 23 years now, but it hasn’t always been on that distinctive of a corner. Cowboy Collectibles got its start when Glenn and Vicki were wanting to settle down from life on the oil rigs of Alaska. At the same time that Glenn and Vicki were making the trip south, a friend had a cowboy collection he was interested in selling. With the last $3,000 to their name, they lassoed a new future for themselves selling new and used cowboy wares including saddles, tack, and leather, along with memorabilia, and now a wide variety of reasonably priced antiques.
Before their storefront in Hotchkiss, from 1994-2003 Glenn and Vicki ran an auction in Friendship Hall. These folks knew what they were doing, constantly innovating to capture a larger market and add to their successful business venture.
The auction originally started with cowboy collectibles only and was mostly attended by the cowboys of the house. However, Vicki’s keen eye saw an opportunity for growth by adding antiques as a way to get both the gents and the ladies at her auctions. And guess what? It worked. Their business continued to grow to over 200 table tops!
Never one to miss an opportunity, Vicki and Glenn also observed that every auction day around lunch time they lost a large part of their crowd that didn’t return. So what did they do? They bought the food stand. Serving up hot dogs, hamburgers, salad, and chili dogs; and, keeping their crowds until the end of the day!
To keep up with the booming auction activities, Vicki road around on roller-skates, sporting a cowboy hat, and a black jacket with tails.
However, with the older generation retiring Vicki and Glenn have seen a dip in interest in their wares. As Vicki explained this is how the antique market goes with predictable ebbs and flows. Just as before they don’t let an ebb get them down, they have found renewed interest from young folks making unique items out of their leather and concha selection including leather diaper bags, baskets, jewelry, and belts which they are only too happy to accommodate.
The Miles try to keep predictable hours Monday through Saturday from 9 am to 5 pm. However, Vicki does advise to call before making a long trek to make sure they are in.
So stop by and shop “The Biggest Little Tack Shop on the Western Slope”. And maybe call 970.872.3025 before you head out.
When asked about what she loves most about her new Elevate Internet service, Vicki said it allows her to play her favorite games whenever she wants 🤣 We love your honesty, thanks for sharing the afternoon with us!
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