Weston Nishimura papers, approximately 1968-1995

Overview of the Collection

Creator
Nishimura, Weston
Title
Weston Nishimura papers
Dates
approximately 1968-1995 (inclusive)
Quantity
7.35 cubic feet (7 boxes and 1 oversize vertical file)
Collection Number
6252 (Accession No. 6252-001)
Summary
Papers of a Seattle-area buisness man who opened the second video store in the country
Repository
University of Washington Libraries, Special Collections
Special Collections
University of Washington Libraries
Box 352900
Seattle, WA
98195-2900
Telephone: 2065431929
Fax: 2065431931
speccoll@uw.edu
Access Restrictions

No restrictions on access.

Languages
English

Biographical NoteReturn to Top

Weston Nishimura was born in East Wenatchee, Washington in 1942. His parents escaped being interned because they lived east of the mountains. He taught elementary and high school in the 1960s and 1970s. In his teaching he would discuss the influence of media on culture. He was in a magazine store in New York City in the 1970s and saw an article about 20th Century Fox considering the release of 50 old films on video. In 1978 he founded Videospace, one of the first video stores in the nation. Over the years, he founded ten different video businesses, including Videospace, Video One Video, and Blank Tapes Plus. He served on the board of directors for the Video Software Dealer's Association, the National Association of Video Distributors and other video business groups. He was the founder of the Video Shorts Film Festival (1980). He contributed many publications on the video industry to Variety Magazine, Video Store Magazine, Dealerscope Magazine, and Retail West. He was listed in the Who's Who in Consumer Electronics and recognized by Billboard Magazine for his achievements.

After he left the video industry he was asked to lead the company Career Improvement group, worked with the Soviet Union for two years, and also worked with the Washington Works program.

Content DescriptionReturn to Top

Papers relating to Weston Nishimura's videotape businesses. Nishimura founded ten different video businesses. His first video store was the second one in the nation.

Use of the CollectionReturn to Top

Restrictions on Use

Creator's copyrights transferred to the University of Washington Libraries Special Collections.

Administrative InformationReturn to Top

Acquisition Information

Weston Nishimura, September 12, 2016.

Separated Materials

Material Described Separately:

Photographs separated to Weston Nishimura photograph collection, 2016.

Detailed Description of the CollectionReturn to Top

 

Container(s) Description Dates
Box
1 Donor provided inventory and biographical information undated
1 Education
Resumes, student and parent feedback, evaluations, professional commendations, Weston address to NEA Asian conference, applications, writings, card and photographs from Ivanhoe Elementary, correspondence, and teaching materials
approximately 1970s
1 Change the US Olympic Organization approach to Educating Athletes
Publications and notes
approximately 1970s
1 Church Youth Group
Correspondence, notes, photographs
undated
1 Educational notes and ideas
Articles and notes
approximately 1980s
1 Landmark Coaching of Coaches undated
1 Art, Music, and Photography
Art, music lyrics and notes, copies of photographer credentials
approximately 1970s
1 Writings
Articles, notes, correspondence, and a manuscript
undated
1 Sequim Bay Craft Village
Correspondence, reports, and maps
approximately 1970s
1 Baking Machine
Advertisements
undated
1 Media Mall
Articles, advertisements, notes, budgets, and reports
approximately 1980s
1 Videospace
Copies of photographs, advertisements, articles, publications, clippings, correspondence
approximately 1980s
1 Illustrations undated
1 Industry
Agenda, presentation notes, articles, and VHS manual
approximately 1980s
1 Video Systems
Proposal, notes, and correspondence
approximately 1980s
1 Video Hardware
Notes, correspondence, advertisements
approximately 1980s
1 Videospace Ads approximately 1978-1980s
1 Video Magazines approximately 1980s
2 Advertisement
Receipts, notes, type faces, clip art, and publications
approximately 1980s
2 Videospace proposal 1980
2 Videospace
Notes, ads, and correspondence
approximately 1980s
2 Video Shorts and Festivals 1980-1981
2 Operations
License, correspondence, advertisements, notes, budgets, ad mock-ups, manuals, resumes, contact lists, insurance information, forms, and reports
approximately 1980s
2 Training
Publications, advertisements, articles, Videospace manuals and notes, and sales training materials
approximately 1980-1982
2 Personnel
Resumes, correspondence, publications, and blank employment applications
Some files restricted, should be reviewed before access
approximately 1980s
2 Ramsey/Tucker Consulting
Reports and articles
approximately 1980s
2 General Business Vendors: Forms, Catalogs
Catalogs
undated
2 Legal
Lease agreements, correspondence, and court documents
1980-1982
2 Videospace
Early inventory, proposals, information regarding the game store, franchise information, and advertisements
approximately 1980-1983
3 Equipment
Advertisements, manuals, receipts, and warranties
undated
3 Info
Clippings, articles, and advertisements
approximately 1979-1980
3 Tacoma Mall and Crossroads
Correspondence
1980
3 Addresses
Correspondence, VSDA registrant lists, address lists for press outlets, address lists for local companies, and notes
approximately 1980s
3 Film Info
Clippings and articles
undated
3 Future
Advertisements and articles
approximately 1980s
3 Videospace Expansion
Reports, advertisements, notes, correspondence, maps and plans
approximately 1980-1985
3 Videospace Limited Partnership Fund Raising
Reports, articles, and business plans
1984
3 Video One Video Newsletters
Includes mailings, advertisements, articles, and mock-ups
1980-1986
3 Video One Racking
Advertisements, forms, inventory, notes, price lists, invoice, and press release
approximately 1980s
3 Systems and Equipment
Advertisements, invoices, agreements, articles, and Video One Video financial reports and equity proposal
approximately 1980s
3 Video Rack
Forms, advertisements, notes, movie lists,
approximately 1980
3 Operations
Workflow charts, notes, articles, employee salary information, advertisements, and Video One Video sales information
approximately 1980-1985
3 Video One Video General Information
Correspondence and advertisements
undated
3 Video Projects
Background on Video One Video, notes, and articles
undated
3 Video One Video LTD
Information on Video One Video in Canada
1980-1981
3 Sale of Video One Video 1981-1983
4 Independent Video Source 1984-1985
4 Video Finance
Includes articles, brochures, publications, business plan, Video One Video brochure, and Independent Video Source financial reports
approximately 1980s
4 Video Sources
Advertisements, catalogs, Vestron prospectus, and Cinema Concepts, Inc. papers
approximately 1980s
4 Adult Films
Advertisements, catalogs, price lists, and notes about obscenity laws
approximately 1985
4 Video Industry Info
Articles and newsletters
approximately 1980s
4 VSDA: Video Software Dealers Association
Articles, newsletters, membership list, memos, writings, correspondence, includes materials related to issues of first sale, meeting minutes, newsletters, and bylaws
1981-1985
4 NAVD: National Association of Video Distributors
Membership lists, Nishimura address, agendas, budgets, and Nielsen reports
approximately 1980s
4 Blank Tape Plus presentations 1990
4 Appleseed
Fact sheets, management biographies, advertisements, price list, business plan, and reports
approximately 1984-1985
4 Blank Tape Plus
Includes statements of purpose and other business documents
1988-1992
5 Blank Tape Plus
Advertisements, business plans, plans for box covers, coupons, booklets, forms, presentations, organizational chart, poster, correspondence, script drafts, and meeting minutes
Some files restricted
1988-1995
5 Videotape Catalog volume I
Includes Video Shorts poster
1980-1985
5 "We Live in a Media Culture" by Weston Nishimura undated
5 Publications by Weston
Includes a guide to Seattle
1973-1975
5 Alphacine Film File undated
5 Bellevue
By Weston for the city of Bellevue
undated
5 "The Video Studies Book" by Weston Nishimura
Manuscript
undated
5 "Film Studies" by Weston Nishimura
Manuscript
undated
5 Manuscripts by Weston Nishimura approximately 1976
5 "Thinking Person's Guide to Television" by Weston Nishimura
Photocopy of manuscript
undated
5 Photography Manual 1973
5 Photo ideas- "Photography" by Weston Nishimura undated
5 "What was Today" by Weston Nishimura
Manuscript
1968
5 "Tomorrow's Memory Faded" by Weston Nishimura
Manuscript
1968
5 Poetry
Manuscript
1969
5 Unpublished and Unread
Manuscripts
1970
5 "Two is Beautiful" by Weston Nishimura
Manuscript
1970
5 "The Inner Gladness" by Weston Nishimura
Manuscripts
1970-1971
5 "A Somewhat Collection" by Weston Nishimura
Manuscripts
1969-1973
5 Interlake High School
"Notes, ideas from year Weston coached and taught drama at Interlake HS Bellevue, WA"
undated
6 "Books of an Innocent Mind" by Weston Nishimura
List of books of interest
undated
6 Biographical information
Includes articles and correspondence
approximately 1981-1985
6 Book proposals for New York agent
Manuscripts
undated
6 Yearbooks: Leden, Odle Junior High, Bellevue, WA 1970-1971
6 Appleseed Video Programming Catalog volume 1 1985
6 GCC Home Video Market Business Plan 1991
6 Seattle Software's Explanation of Micro Pro International's WordStar and MailMerge
Manual
undated
6 Outcalt Retail Workshop approximately 1980
6 Videospace: Video Insider
Newsletters
1983
6 Appleseed Presentation Manual undated
6 Paul Kagen Seminar: VCR Economics
Includes booklet and 4 audio tapes of a seminar where Nishimura was a panelist
1985
6 Videospace/ Video One Video: Marketing Communications Plans 1980
6 Independent Video Source: Policy and Procedure Manual undated
6 Videospace III undated
6 Independent Video Source undated
6 Blank Tapes Plus
Notebooks, including corporate notebook
approximately 1993-1995
6 Address
Articles and notes with industry information and addresses
undated
7 Blank Tapes Plus
Notebooks
undated
7 Career Advantage Materials
Tapes and documents published by Career Advantage, edited by Weston Nishimura
1987-1988
VF:oversize
OSVF 183 Videospace Member Mailing List 1980

Names and SubjectsReturn to Top

Subject Terms

  • Businesspeople--Washington (State)
  • Personal Papers/Corporate Records (University of Washington)
  • Stores, Retail--Washington (State)
  • Video tape industry--Washington (State)

Personal Names

  • Nishimura, Weston--Archives