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The company was founded as a gift shop in 1932 in Omaha, Nebraska, by Harry Watanabe. The company expanded to 17 shops in the Midwest. During World War II, with restrictions against imports from Japan, the company shrank back to its Omaha base.
Terrance Watanabe (born 1957) is an American businessman and high roller who inherited Oriental Trading Company, a direct merchant of value-priced party supplies, arts and crafts, toys and novelties and school supplies founded by his father Harry Watanabe.
Founded in 1932 by Harry Watanabe, our company has grown from a small novelty shop in San Francisco into one of the nation’s largest direct retailers of value-priced party supplies, arts and crafts, toys and novelties, and more.
Oriental Trading Company was founded in 1932 by Harry Watanabe in Omaha, Nebraska. As a Japanese immigrant, Harry brought an eclectic mix of novelties and decorations from the Far East to America’s heartland.
His father, Harry Watanabe, founded the import business, Oriental Trading Co., in 1932, after immigrating to the U.S. from Japan. As children, Mr. Watanabe and his younger sister and brother worked with their father after school. His mother, Fern, a Nebraska native, was a secretary there.
Apr 14, 2024 · Terrance Watanabe is widely considered to be the biggest ever whale in Las Vegas history. He managed to turn a fortune he made from selling his trading company into over $120 million in losses at Las Vegas casinos in one year.
Founded in 1932 in Omaha, Nebraska by Japanese American, Harry Watanabe, Oriental Trading was one of the nation's first wholesale providers of novelties and gifts. Harry's naming of the company reflected the geographic area and trading routes of the business.
