Akio Nitori
- Akio Nitori founded discount home furnishings chain Nitori Holdings; its shares trade on the Tokyo Stock Exchange.
- The company has expanded in urban markets like Tokyo and has nearly 500 stores across Japan.
- Nitori, the firm’s chairman, founded the first store in 1967. He stepped down as president in 2016.
- The chain has stores outside Japan in China, Taiwan and the U.S.
- To earn money for college tuition and expenses, he worked collecting unpaid bar tabs and hustling pool, among other jobs.
