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 (480)
Small business (390)

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390 items

img Dye works picnic (ddr-densho-135-1)

Dye works shop owners gather for a picnic, a common social activity for families in the business. (L to R): Yae Kumakura, Gonnojo Tamura, Yasuye Shimizu, Suma Tamura.

https://ddr.densho.org/ddr-densho-135-1/

img Japanese American family (ddr-densho-135-3)

This family operated the Royal Dye Works in the Fremont neighborhood of Seattle, Washington. (L to R): George, Marian, Yoshio, Mr. Tamura.

https://ddr.densho.org/ddr-densho-135-3/

img Siblings in front of house (ddr-densho-136-31)

Frank and Violet Yokoyama, along with their parents, operated a produce store and greenhouse in North Seattle, and sold their produce at a vegetable stand in the Pike Place Market.

https://ddr.densho.org/ddr-densho-136-31/

img Taisho Company (ddr-densho-162-43)

https://ddr.densho.org/ddr-densho-162-43/

img Fujimoto & Company miso company (ddr-densho-162-46)

Edward Fujimoto, proprietor.

https://ddr.densho.org/ddr-densho-162-46/

img E.D. Hashimoto Company (ddr-densho-162-44)

https://ddr.densho.org/ddr-densho-162-44/

img Seattle Glove Company employees (ddr-densho-166-7)

Masaye is second from the left, top row. Mrs. Davis, the owner's wife, is third from the left, front row.

https://ddr.densho.org/ddr-densho-166-7/

img Seattle Glove Company employee party (ddr-densho-166-5)

Masaye Mayeno, third from right, and her good friend, Mrs. Sakai, is on the far right.

https://ddr.densho.org/ddr-densho-166-5/

img Issei workers in butcher shop (ddr-densho-182-167)

https://ddr.densho.org/ddr-densho-182-167/

img Issei-owned dry good, shoe repair store (ddr-densho-182-168)

https://ddr.densho.org/ddr-densho-182-168/

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.

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

doc The Northwest Times Vol. 1 No. 78 (October 24, 1947) (ddr-densho-229-65)

"N.W. JACL District Council to Meet Nov. 22, 23 in Seattle" (p. 1) "Nisei Funeral Director Opens Offices on Jackson Street" (p. 4).

https://ddr.densho.org/ddr-densho-229-65/

img Storefront of Valley Seed Company (ddr-densho-242-23)

Caption by Ike Hatchimonji: "2 Valley Seed Co. photos. Kunezo Hatchimonji in front of his seed store in El Monte, Calif. He operated the store from 1934 to 1942. Live plants shown are from Union Nursery." Caption on reverse: "Anderson Photo Service, Apr. 22, 1936, El Monte, Calif."

https://ddr.densho.org/ddr-densho-242-23/

img Issei man in front of his store (ddr-densho-242-24)

Caption by Ike Hatchimonji: "Kunezo Hatchimonji in front of his seed store in El Monte, Calif. "

https://ddr.densho.org/ddr-densho-242-24/

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.

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

img Wakaichi and Tomo Ohashi (ddr-densho-442-233)

Photograph of Wakaichi "Buck" Ohashi (center) standing with two unidentified men and his sister Ruth Tomo Ohashi riding a tricycle in front outside the Ohashi family store.

https://ddr.densho.org/ddr-densho-442-233/

img Jiro & Bob (ddr-densho-442-57)

Photograph of Neil Jiro Ohashi (left) and Robert Teruo "Bob" Ohashi (right) seated outside the Ohashi family store.

https://ddr.densho.org/ddr-densho-442-57/

img Dual photo (ddr-densho-442-310)

Photograph with two pictures, both images show Shika Ohashi standing outside the Ohashi family store.

https://ddr.densho.org/ddr-densho-442-310/

img Three children (ddr-densho-442-238)

Photograph of three unidentified children outside the Ohashi family store. Two children are using baby walkers, and the third is waving an American flag.

https://ddr.densho.org/ddr-densho-442-238/

img Jiro and Sab Ohashi (ddr-densho-442-239)

Photograph of Neil Jiro Ohashi (left) sitting with Edward Saburo Ohashi (right) outside the Ohashi family store.

https://ddr.densho.org/ddr-densho-442-239/

img Tomo (ddr-densho-442-84)

Photograph of Ruth Tomo Ohashi holding a bouquet of flowers outside the Ohashi family store.

https://ddr.densho.org/ddr-densho-442-84/

img Baby in baby walker (ddr-densho-442-196)

Photograph of an unidentified child using a baby walker the Ohashi family store.

https://ddr.densho.org/ddr-densho-442-196/

img Wakaichi Ohashi (ddr-densho-442-89)

Photograph of Wakaichi "Buck" Ohashi leaning against a telephone pole outside the Ohashi family store

https://ddr.densho.org/ddr-densho-442-89/

img Terao funeral (ddr-densho-442-5)

Photograph of mourners in attendance at the funeral of Tomsabaro Terao. Front row left to right: Keiko Togo and Jimmy Tatsuda II. Second row: unknown, unknown, unknown, Bill Tatsuda, Charlie Tatsuda, Abe Hagiwara, Ruth Ohashi, John Tomita, unknown, Pat Hagiwara, Cherry, Tatsuda, unknown, Frank Tomita, and Mike Hagiwara. Third row: unknown, Mr. Faulkner, Mr. Inouye, Jimmy …

https://ddr.densho.org/ddr-densho-442-5/

img Ohashi Family business (ddr-densho-442-53)

Photograph of George Ohashi's family of outside the pool room and lodging house he ran. From left to right is Shika Ohashi holding Ruth Tomo Ohashi, Mary Haruko (Ohashi) Yamato, and George Ohashi.

https://ddr.densho.org/ddr-densho-442-53/