The Bird House Antiques brings vintage finds to Oxford community

Located on West High St., The Bird House Antiques store is home to various Miami University memorabilia, vintage clothing, collectables, furniture, toys and more. The business first opened its doors in 1973 and has been in operation since then.

Bertie Wespiser, the owner, said clothing has become a popular item among customers, but some other best-sellers are furniture — especially during Miami’s move-in week — silverware and Miami-related items. Wespiser said that people also come in for their bargains.

“I think more and more people are realizing the value of history,” Wespiser said. “... Younger people, some of them, are liking the old things more and more.”

Wespiser said the store is usually busiest on the weekends, especially on Saturdays.

Wespiser said she often gets items for the store from garage sales, auctions and word of mouth. After being in the antique field for 51 years, people know of her work and her business, so they keep her in mind when coming across antique items.

“People come in every day. People call, they send me pictures. There’s still a few auctions around,” Wespiser said. “... There’s just something for everyone … we sell everything.”

Jeannie Sturgeon has worked at the shop for four years and said that she and the other employees all wear different hats when it comes to their jobs. They help people check out, help display items and do whatever is needed at the time.

Sturgeon said that a store like Bird House Antiques is important to have on High Street to break up the number of restaurants in town. Having an antique store gives students and community members some variety and a place to shop.

“People will come in looking for a last minute birthday gift. People come in looking for costumes for Halloween,” Sturgeon said. “A lot of people come in looking at the furniture … I think it’s important to have something other than a restaurant for people to shop at.”

Sturgeon grew up in Oxford and attended Miami. When she was younger, she said Oxford used to have a variety of different stores that are no longer there. Because of this, she thinks still having an antique shop in Oxford is important.

During the first few weeks that students are back on campus, Sturgeon said the store gets a lot of students coming in to look for furniture like side tables or end tables.

Sturgeon described the store as eclectic, with Wespiser always finding new things that appeal to their audience.

“You never know what you’re going to find, because Bertie, the owner, is constantly finding things and bringing them in. She has a very good eye,” Sturgeon said. “... There’s a little bit of a lot of different things in here.”

One of the store's best selling items is Barker Ornaments — handmade and hand-painted Christmas ornaments made by an Oxford family. Sturgeon said most of them have sold, but they still have a handful left. She said customers will come in asking about these ornaments in particular.

Sturgeon said that they get seasonal items for holidays like Christmas and Halloween, and they tend to decorate the store accordingly.

Drew Weiss, a senior marketing major at Miami, visits the antique store two or three times each week. He likes to stop by to look around and see what's new, but he also described it as visually appealing, saying it almost reminded him of his grandparents' basement due to the variety of unique vintage items.

“Every time I come in here there’s something new to look at,” Weiss said. “... You’ll find stuff here you can’t find anywhere else, and I’d say it’s better to come here and get some nice, cool used furniture than buying something double the price at Walmart.”