Small business

Japanese American businesses, such as groceries, fish shops, laundries, barbershops, public bathhouses, restaurants, drugstores, and dry goods stores, sprang up in communities along the West Coast. Women and children were vitally important to these "mom and pop" enterprises, as their free labor allowed the family to survive and even prosper during lean times.

Industry and employment (392)
Small business (335)

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335 items

doc Co-op movement in Tule Lake (ddr-csujad-26-6)

Chronological report of the organization and initial leadership of the co-op movement at Tule Lake as decided by the War Relocation Authority (WRA). Includes details of the process, advisory council meetings, incarceree participation, and establishment proceedings. Report compiled as a portion of the Japanese American Evacuation and Resettlement Study (JERS). See this object in the California …

http://ddr.densho.org/ddr-csujad-26-6/

img Interior of Mitsuwado store (ddr-densho-13-32)

The Mitsuwado store, located at 522 Main Street, was owned by Kinzo Asaba (right). The store sold a variety of items including books, records, record players, and fishing tackle. Asaba's daughter, Chiyo, stands next to him.

http://ddr.densho.org/ddr-densho-13-32/

img Mitsuwado store's window display (ddr-densho-13-34)

The Mitsuwado store was located at 522 Main Street in Seattle's Nihonmachi, or Japantown. In this display are matsutake (pine mushrooms) and various prizes to be awarded to fishing derby winners.

http://ddr.densho.org/ddr-densho-13-34/

img Three Issei men and child outside the Mitsuwado store (ddr-densho-13-2)

Mitsuwado was located at 522 Main Street in Seattle's Nihonmachi, or Japantown. The store sold a variety of items including books, records, record players, and fishing tackle. Left to right: Kinzo Asaba (the store's owner), Mr. Osawa, unidentified, and unidentified.

http://ddr.densho.org/ddr-densho-13-2/

img Mitsuwado store (ddr-densho-13-31)

The Mitsuwado store, located at 522 Main Street, was owned by Kinzo Asaba. The store sold a variety of items including books, records, record players, and fishing tackle. Left to right: Mr. Izui, Denny Yoshimura, Nobujiro Shibata, Ayako Shibata, Yoshiko Hagiya, Shuzo Asaba, and Kinzo Asaba.

http://ddr.densho.org/ddr-densho-13-31/

img Two Issei men outside the Mitsuwado store (ddr-densho-13-16)

The Mitsuwado store was located at 522 Main Street in Seattle's Nihonmachi, or Japantown. The store sold a variety of items including books, records, record players, and fishing tackle. The store's owner, Kinzo Asaba, is on the left.

http://ddr.densho.org/ddr-densho-13-16/

img Aiko Studio (ddr-densho-20-11)

Aiko Studio, located in Seattle's Nihonmachi area, was one of several photography studios that catered to the Japanese American community before World War II.

http://ddr.densho.org/ddr-densho-20-11/

img Issei-run store (ddr-densho-25-11)

Matahichi and Kisa Iseri ran a small store and berry farm in Thomas, Washington. Matahichi first opened the store in the family's garage shown here.

http://ddr.densho.org/ddr-densho-25-11/

img Interior, tailor shop (ddr-densho-26-9)

Kinnosuke Yanagihara stands inside U.S. Tailors, which was located at 206 4th Avenue South in Seattle, Washington.

http://ddr.densho.org/ddr-densho-26-9/

img Japanese American man in front of tailor shop (ddr-densho-26-260)

Written on back "Kinnosuke"

http://ddr.densho.org/ddr-densho-26-260/

img Japanese American children (ddr-densho-26-71)

Akio and Mitsue Yanagihara pose in front of their father's tailor shop.

http://ddr.densho.org/ddr-densho-26-71/

img Tailor shop (ddr-densho-26-279)

http://ddr.densho.org/ddr-densho-26-279/

doc Pacific Citizen, Vol. 103, No. 19 (November 7, 1986) (ddr-pc-58-44)

Edition contains Mail Order Supplement, A-D, between pages 4 and 5. Selected article titles: "'Star Trek' Star Honored by Hollywood" (pp. 1, 8), "L.A.'s Nikkei-Oriented Movie Theater Closes Doors" (pp. 1, 5), "Mineta Recalls Impact of 99th Congress on JAs" (p. 2), and "Take Risks, Help Others, Matsui Tells Students" (pp. 6-7).

http://ddr.densho.org/ddr-pc-58-44/

img Meat market (ddr-densho-34-61)

Mrs. Tom Omura (second from left) and Mr. Tom Omura, holding one-year-old Masaaki (John) Nakata, in front of the meat market and restaurant along Winslow Way East on Bainbridge Island, Washington. The identity of the person on the left is unknown.

http://ddr.densho.org/ddr-densho-34-61/

img Bainbridge Gardens (ddr-densho-34-8)

Bainbridge Gardens consisted of a nursery, grocery store and gas station.

http://ddr.densho.org/ddr-densho-34-8/

img Japanese American butcher (ddr-densho-34-54)

The Nakata family owned and operated the Eagle Harbor Meat Market in Winslow on Bainbridge Island. Mo Nakata worked at the market before and after World War II.

http://ddr.densho.org/ddr-densho-34-54/

img Opening day of the Eagle Harbor Meat Market (ddr-densho-34-62)

The Eagle Harbor Meat Market was located on Winslow Way on Bainbridge Island, Washington.

http://ddr.densho.org/ddr-densho-34-62/

img Bainbridge Gardens gas station (ddr-densho-34-23)

A view of Bainbridge Gardens from Miller Bay Road with Mo Nakata's Pontiac out front.

http://ddr.densho.org/ddr-densho-34-23/

img Aiko photo studio (ddr-densho-35-296)

Aiko photo studio was located on Sixth and Jackson in Seattle's Nihonmachi or Japantown.

http://ddr.densho.org/ddr-densho-35-296/

img Aiko photo studio (ddr-densho-35-295)

Aiko photo studio was located on the second floor of this building on Sixth and Jackson in Seattle.

http://ddr.densho.org/ddr-densho-35-295/

img Cherry Land Florist (ddr-densho-38-30)

The Cherry Land Florist was located on Jackson Street in Seattle's Nihonmachi, or Japantown.

http://ddr.densho.org/ddr-densho-38-30/

img Tashiro's Hardware Store (ddr-densho-39-2)

Tashiro's Hardware Store, established in 1917, was a prominent business located on Prefontaine Avenue in the heart of Seattle's Nihonmachi. Kanjiro Tashiro (without hat) sold Japanese folding knives before opening his hardware store in Seattle. During World War II, he stored his inventory at Northcoast Importing. After the war, Tashiro reopened his business and continued to …

http://ddr.densho.org/ddr-densho-39-2/

img Market (ddr-densho-109-60)

West Side Market at Twenty-sixth and Proctor in Tacoma, Washington.

http://ddr.densho.org/ddr-densho-109-60/

img Sun Rise Pool Hall (ddr-densho-113-10)

This pool hall was owned and managed by Masato Uyeda (left). Masato immigrated to the US in 1912 and worked in the coal mines and on the railroad before opening this pool hall.

http://ddr.densho.org/ddr-densho-113-10/

img Business owner with family (ddr-densho-113-51)

This man, posing with his family in front of their car, owned the Home Brew Supply Store in Seattle. (L to R): Ayako Uyeda, Masato Uyeda, Fumiko Uyeda.

http://ddr.densho.org/ddr-densho-113-51/