Made in Oregon is an American

brand A brand is a name, term, design, symbol or any other feature that distinguishes one seller's goods or service from those of other sellers. Brands are used in business, marketing, and advertising for recognition and, importantly, to create and ...

and

retail chain A chain store or retail chain is a retail outlet in which several locations share a brand, Management, central management and standardized business practices. They have come to dominate many retail markets, dining markets, and service categories ...

, established in 1975 and owned by

Portland, Oregon Portland ( ) is the List of cities in Oregon, most populous city in the U.S. state of Oregon, located in the Pacific Northwest region. Situated close to northwest Oregon at the confluence of the Willamette River, Willamette and Columbia River, ...

-based Naito Corporation, in the United States. Now owned by Portland businessman Sam Naito, Naito Corporation was previously named H. Naito Corporation and until 1992 Norcrest China Company. The company was owned by Sam Naito and his brother, Bill Naito, until the latter's death in 1996. The chain of stores, which later expanded into mail-order and online retailing, specializes in

Oregon Oregon ( , ) is a U.S. state, state in the Pacific Northwest region of the United States. It is a part of the Western U.S., with the Columbia River delineating much of Oregon's northern boundary with Washington (state), Washington, while t ...

-made products. The first Made in Oregon store opened in 1975 at

Portland International Airport Portland International Airport is a joint civil–military airport and the largest airport in the U.S. state of Oregon, accounting for 90% of the state's passenger air travel and more than 95% of its air cargo. It is within Portland's city li ...

History

Norcrest China Company was founded in Portland, Oregon, in 1958 by Hide Naito, who had emigrated from Japan in 1912. After Hide Naito's death in 1989, it was owned by his sons, Portland businessmen Bill Naito and his brother Sam, who together had already held a controlling share of the company stock since 1980. Norcrest China opened the first Made in Oregon store in 1975 in an space at

.Colby, Richard (February 28, 1988). "Made in Oregon shops offer unique marketing style". ''

The Oregonian ''The Oregonian'' is a daily newspaper based in Portland, Oregon, United States, owned by Advance Publications. It is the oldest continuously published newspaper on the West Coast of the United States, U.S. West Coast, founded as a weekly by Tho ...

'', p. D1. The store was one of the first retailers in what became the Oregon Market inside the airport.Hamburg, Ken (August 27, 1989). "Sales take off at redesigned airport shopping area". ''

'', p. B1. The idea of offering products from one state was then a novelty; now the concept has been often copied. The chain had expanded to 11 stores by 1989 and had stores in 12 locations in 1998. As of 2025, Made in Oregon has seven retail locations, including one in Portland International Airport, two elsewhere in the

Portland metropolitan area The Portland metropolitan area is a metropolitan area, metro area with its urban area, core in the U.S. states of Oregon and Washington (state), Washington. It has 5 principal cities, the largest being Portland, Oregon. The U.S. Office of Man ...

, and one each in Eugene, Salem, Newport, and Woodburn. Products sold under the Made in Oregon brand include food, clothing, jewelry, and arts and crafts.

"Made in Oregon" sign

From 1997 until 2010, a lighted neon-and-bulb sign located atop the White Stag Building at 70 NW Couch Street in downtown Portland, facing the

Burnside Bridge The Burnside Bridge is a 1926-built bascule bridge that spans the Willamette River in Portland, Oregon, United States, carrying Burnside Street. It is the second bridge at the same site to carry that name. It was added to the National Register o ...

, advertised the Made in Oregon chain. In place since the 1940s, the sign is one of the identifying landmarks of Portland and was designated a City of Portland Historic Landmark in 1977."Commission designates White Stag sign Portland landmark". ''The Oregonian'', October 13, 1977, p. A17. During the Christmas season, the nose of the deer glows red in imitation of

Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer is a fictional reindeer created by Robert L. May. Rudolph is usually depicted as the ninth and youngest of Santa Claus's reindeer, using his luminous red nose to lead the reindeer team and guide Santa's sleigh on C ...

. The sign was leased from Ramsay Signs by Made in Oregon owner H. Naito Corp. (formerly Norcrest China Co.). In 1996, Bob Naito, then vice president of H. Naito Corp., said the company had offered to buy the sign, but that Ramsay Signs was "unwilling to sell it."Rubenstein, Sura (December 4, 1996). "White stag leaves men seeing red". ''The Oregonian'', p. 1. In September 2010, ownership of the sign passed from Ramsay to the City of Portland, and in November the wording was changed from "Made in Oregon" to "Portland Oregon".

References

External links

Made in Oregon
(official website) {{DEFAULTSORT:Made In Oregon (retain chain) History of Portland, Oregon American brands Economy of Oregon 1975 establishments in Oregon