Community Highlights: Meet Jason Davis of Oracle Antiques and Vintage

Today we’d like to introduce you to Jason Davis.

Hi Jason, it’s an honor to have you on the platform. Thanks for taking the time to share your story with us – to start maybe you can share some of your backstory with our readers?
Oracle Antiques and Vintage is a combined approach to antique/vintage, by myself Jason Davis and my business partner, Todd Dugle. I have a lifelong love of antiques and art and have been selling antiques for over 10 year. Todd has extensive background in Jewelry and owned The Gilded Age in Mt. Adams, as well as antique mall retail for the last four. Somewhat unconventionally we met doing furniture and fine art delivery in the Cincinnati, area. We both had always harbored a dream own our own traditional antique store in a historic district and when the space came available at 305 Fairfield Ave. in Bellevue, Ky we didn’t hesitate to sign the lease. The building (which was built as a grocery) was just so charming and being nested in between a bakery, estate jewelry store, vintage clothing resale and local breweries and restaurants we felt we would get the walk-by exposure we needed. To date, our approach has been almost completely organic with no social media presence because we want people to come browse the treasures we have mined, and go home with something that resonates with them. We may increase our online prescience in the future, but we will always remain grounded in the personal experience of the antiques treasure hunt, in person, in store, as a valuable experience in itself.

Alright, so let’s dig a little deeper into the story – has it been an easy path overall and if not, what were the challenges you’ve had to overcome?
We had a soft opening in May 2024, rather than a “big todo” and ever since, the amount of customer interest and engagement has been at a level at which we are thoroughly grateful to receive. It has been a true joy to meet the people that love our store and buy our wares. Even when the Daniel Carter Bridge Fire prevented a large amount of traffic crossing from Ohio to Kentucky, our sales remained fairly consistent, because so much of it was truly local, within one block, or one town over. Overall, while we aways have been concerned with the volatility of the economy in the last year and a half, our new and returning customers continue to value our approach, our “eye” for what we love, and our selection that spans all styles and eras.

Alright, so let’s switch gears a bit and talk business. What should we know?
I think Oracle sets itself apart because we don’t have a “formulaic” approach to what we do. Todd’s inventory is completely separate from mine and our tastes can be quite divergent at times, yet somehow it comes together as something unique to itself. I think both of us are very organic in our selection of the vintage wares and antiques we stock. We use our eyes, our sense of beauty, have a true curiosity for the rare/unusual and a love of the bizarre. Don’t forget, we are also Kentucky proud. I always find myself buying “another” horse piece, local Kentucky history or advertising, OR a vintage piece of Kentucky’s Bybee Pottery (no out of business and highly collected). I often say we are not a “completist collector’s dream” nor a “Coca Cola museum”, what we have is something you can take home and make your own, and use it to define your definition of “place” and comfort.

Can you tell us more about what you were like growing up?
Jason: I was born in 1974, and was a garage sale fanatic! My entire childhood seems like an ongoing stream of curbside freebies, flea markets and garage sales. I just loved OLD THINGS. I guess the flame still burns brightly, because I absolutely love discovering what has been hiding in a corner of someone’s house! I am most touched when something has a personal aspect that connects it to the human experience. Just recently, I bought an antique travel guidebook to Sri Lanka that was printed in 1905, and was filled with fascinating British Empire era advertising and advice (anyone know where I can find the gas works, a confectioner, breathable clothing or a hospital room?); but the really wonderful thing about this old guide book, was the indentation from the front to the back where someone’s thumb had browsed page after page for information and worn the edges down. Who knows how it ended up at a garage sale with 1960’s unused Sears shoes, Japan era robots, wedding gifts and halloween masks!
Todd: Todd was born in 1953, grew up in Indian Hill, loved 1960’s R+B as a teenager and was quite the Casanova. He has always delved deep into astrology… a lifelong interest. As for his other secrets, you’ll have to ask him personally!