Harriet Carter
| Privately held company | |
| Industry | Retail |
| Founded | Plymouth Meeting, Pennsylvania 1958 |
| Headquarters | North Wales, Pennsylvania |
| Website | www.harrietcarter.com |
Harriet Carter Gifts Inc, founded by Harriet Carter, is an American retailer that specializes in unique gifts and household products. Harriet Carter has been in business since 1958. It continues to maintain its headquarters in North Wales, PA near Plymouth Meeting, PA where it was founded. The company sells a variety of products through a print catalog and its website.
History
Harriet Carter Gifts started as a home based mail order business in 1958. The kitchen served as the office and the Carter children helped their mother fulfill orders. The company found its first success selling five different styles of decorative wood switch-plate covers which were hand cut and stained in the family's basement. Besides switch-plate covers, the first catalog also featured products such as a set of Peter Rabbit prints, a federal eagle mirror, a teak desk caddy, a ski rack, a medieval wall lamp, and canned candles molded to look like fresh vegetables.
The company has grown from a home business selling a handful of products via a catalog to a multi-channel retailer with 300,000 square feet (28,000 m2) of warehouse space selling over 1,000 products.