Eric Nakamura is a Japanese American magazine publisher, gallerist, and entrepreneur. He is the co-founder of Giant Robot, owner of the Giant Robot store and GR2 Gallery, and curator of the Giant Robot Biennale and other museum exhibitions. [1]
Publisher Nakamura grew up in the Sawtelle, Los Angeles area. He attended Palisades High School and later Santa Monica College, where he'd work with the Palisadian-Post as their only photographer.
Nakamura attended UCLA, graduating in 1993 with a degree in East Asian Studies. [2]
After graduation, Nakamura worked at VideoGames & Computer Entertainment shortly before starting Giant Robot. [3]
In 1994, he founded Giant Robot, which began as a self-published magazine and grew into a widely circulated bi-monthly magazine about Asian pop culture. [1] In 2001, he opened the first Giant Robot store in Los Angeles. [2] The magazine ceased publication in February 2011, but Nakamura continued publication through the curation of several Giant Robot Biennale exhibitions at the Japanese American National Museum [4] , and the SuperAwesome: Art and Giant Robot exhibition at the Oakland Museum of California. [5]
Nakamura opened Asian fusion restaurant gr/eats [6] in 2005. [7] [8] [9] It had an almost seven year run [10] in Sawtelle, Los Angeles, right by their physical Giant Robot store. [7] [8]