Mike Price

Meet Mike Price. As the owner of Little Horse Vintage, which offers a unique mix of everything from mid-centrury furniture and vintage stereo equipment to rare and used books, he has an eye for design, culture, and literature.  He has planted roots in Louisville and become a staple of the downtown scene.

Mike, it’s entrepreneurialism such as yours that have contributed to the unique and fun character that have helped make Louisville a wonderful place to live.

 

Q: What inspired you or led you to your current career?

A: I got my Masters in Poetics and Writing in 1997. I had worked in a used bookstore in San Francisco and “haunted” a lot of area thrift stores, antique shops, and bookstores.  I had a number of friends that were heavily involved in the furniture and design world, so I kind of took cues from them.  In 2000, I moved back here and started working on a novel out of my friend’s office on Pearl St in Boulder.  At the same time I was working on a house remodel in Denver with a good friend who was a design influence.  We would go to thrift stores searching for furniture and I began looking for stuff I could turn around and resell. Slowly, I began to acquire some things.  I connected with a landlord who had a space that was a cluttered mess of antiques, cars, and tools.  I helped to clean it up and asked if I could sell some items out of the front of the garage on weekends, to which he agreed.  I slowly began to build momentum from there.  A friend of mine leased a space on Pearl Street and he offered to have me join him for greater exposure, so I gave it a shot! That was that birth of this (current) concept – of books, records, stereo equipment, and mid-century furniture.  I was on Pearl for only a couple of years because it was so expensive. The same friends who gave me the spot in their office while I was writing a novel had started a snowboard company with Spyder ski wear, and began working with them at their trade shows.  I was out of business for about 4-5 years, but kept busy selling books behind the scenes on Amazon.  Then a friend who was selling records out of my original store location wanted to open another store that I got involved with called Absolute Vinyl and Little Horse books.  When this current space opened up in Louisville in 2010 I jumped on it and have been here ever since.

Q: What is your favorite restaurant in Louisville and Lafayette, and what do you love there?

A: The Empire Lounge and Restaurant is my wife and I’s favorite spot to go. We go to Lucky Pie Pizza and tap house occasionally. We also like the Indian food at Taj Mahal.

Q: How long have you lived or worked in Louisville and Lafayette?

A:   10 years.

Q: If you could travel anywhere in the world right now, where would it be?  And why?

A: I would probably go to Kathmandu, Nepal and Dharamshala, India because I’m a Buddhist and have had a real interest in Tibetan culture and philosophy for a long time.

Q: What is your favorite movie OR what is the first movie you remember seeing in a theatre?

A: I think my favorite is Blade Runner and the first movie I remember seeing would probably be Grease.  Or maybe the Shining, that I saw with my parents.

Q: What advice would you give a crowd of people?

A: Find a practice – whether it is yoga, or meditation, or something spiritually inclined. Pursue it, don’t ever let it go, and do it every day.

Q: What is something on your bucket list?

A: There isn’t really anything on my bucket list aside from traveling to Nepal and India.

Q: What is your favorite music/ 3 bands you would like to see (dead or alive)?

A: I’d like to see Son Volt. I’d probably like to see Bob Dylan again and also Van Morrison in the early part of his career.

Q: What current / former local business makes you the most nostalgic about Louisville and Lafayette?

A: Moxie Bread Company for sure. Andy, who is a good friend of my mine, and what he’s done with his bakery helped put Louisville on the map. He won the Best Bakery in Westword Magazine. Also, Stemm Ciders up on the hill is a one of kind view and restaurant.

Q: Choosing anyone alive and a non-relative: with whom would you love to have lunch?  Why?  Where in Louisville and Lafayette would you have lunch?

A: The Dalai Lama, no question. Probably… I’d take him to Stemm Ciders. I think that would be the best place to get a good view of the mountains and something he’d enjoy.

Q: What is your favorite thing or something unique about Louisville and Lafayette?

A:  I would say the ease of being here with a family. It is a small town and without being too “small town”. It has a cohesive community feeling and you recognize a lot of people as you walk down the street.

Q: Where do you see yourself in 5 or 10 years?

A: In 5 to 10 years, I will definitely still own the store, and possibly living half the year in Palm Springs, CA.  A little escape from the winters.

Q: (Even for friends or family), what is something interesting that most people don’t know about you?

A: I’m a poet.  I don’t write much poetry anymore, but at one time had a couple small presses publish my work.

Q: What 3 words or phrases come to mind when you think of the word HOME?

A: Sanctuary, Quiet, and the Mountains.

Q: If you were cast into a major motion picture and had your choice of anyone to be your co-star, who would you choose?

A: I would say Harrison Ford, first because he was in Blade Runner, and also because he’s Buddhist. So, I think we would be pretty aligned as far as personality and “likes.” Richard Gere and Keanu Reeves are Buddhist as well and people I’d like to meet.

Q: If you had a full time staff member that was fully paid for, who would you choose?

Chef, Housekeeper, Driver, Coach, Physical Fitness Trainer, or Nanny?

A: A spiritual teacher.

Q: Is there something that you can add that would benefit or add value to the community, what do you think would that be?

A: I’m speaking from a retailer perspective and someone who enjoys dining and shopping in my local community. We haven’t done a very good job of being as business friendly and attracting new businesses. It’s tough when really high rents are charged in popular places that small businesses can’t afford.  The businesses that are here struggle a bit and I don’t see a clear path yet in how we are going to have more retailers in here.

Leave a Reply