Jason Mulvene Brings Blue Ocean Traders to Round Top
Before Jason Mulvene was old enough to attend school, he was already learning the art of trading. Raised around his father’s commercial polishing shop, Mulvene was immersed in a world of brass, copper and constant visits from antiques dealers. “My father introduced me to the business at a young age,” he recalled. “We always had a booth full of polished metals and a steady stream of antiques dealers coming through.”
As a sophomore in college, his father sent him and a friend to Holland with little more than a map and a rental car. Their goal: figure out how to source antiques in Europe. That two-month experience laid the groundwork for what would become a global sourcing network. “Some of the suppliers I met 30 years ago are still partners today,” he said.
Two years after graduating, Mulvene launched Blue Ocean Traders, pioneering a wholesale model that was virtually unheard of at the time—vintage items in quantity, ready to order for retailers and designers. His showroom at AmericasMart in Atlanta quickly stood out, offering something bold and new in a traditional space. Over time, that vision expanded into a multi-city operation, with permanent showrooms in Atlanta, Dallas, High Point, Las Vegas and headquarters in Louisville, Kentucky.
Today, Blue Ocean Traders serves over 12,000 retail stores and interior designers annually, offering goods sourced directly from more than 15 countries. What hasn’t changed is Mulvene’s commitment to craftsmanship and enduring design. “Every item we sell should have an obvious soul,” he said. “It should be cherished and handed down, improving over time. I fully believe that nothing we sell should ever end up in a landfill.”
That same commitment to long-term value is now taking shape in Round Top, Texas. This fall, Blue Ocean Traders opens a 100,000-square-foot facility on 12 acres—the former site of Cole’s Antiques, a familiar landmark for longtime shoppers. “As an antiques brand, you really have to be in Round Top,” Mulvene shared in a recent interview with the Fayette County Record. “We like it out there. We want to be part of the community. We want to invest in the community.”
Blue Ocean Traders is building a sourcing destination for boutique retailers and interior designers, with 35,000 square feet dedicated to one-of-a-kind antiques and 65,000 square feet housing the Blue Ocean catalog line. The venue will offer over 25 shipping containers of fresh inventory from countries like Portugal, Spain, Belgium, Turkey, Hungary, China, Indonesia, India and Morocco—making it one of the most diverse and dynamic selections anywhere at Round Top.
Among Mulvene’s favorite pieces this season: a round Bourne-style sofa from a hotel lobby in Portugal, still in its original upholstery, showcasing a perfect example of the kind of high-character item Blue Ocean Traders is known for.
From primitive to midcentury, travertine to teak, Blue Ocean Traders’s collection speaks to timelessness over trend. As always, the focus is on material integrity, global discovery and furniture meant to last.
Follow along and explore more at blueoceantraders.com
