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 (481)
Small business (391)

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391 items
Letter from Ai Chih Tsai to Lt. George Kerr (ddr-densho-446-133)
doc Letter from Ai Chih Tsai to Lt. George Kerr (ddr-densho-446-133)
Ai Chih Tsai thanks Kerr and looks forward to meeting him and working under him.
Southern California Nisei Directory 1934-1935 (ddr-densho-480-1)
doc Southern California Nisei Directory 1934-1935 (ddr-densho-480-1)
A directory of Japanese American citizens and businesses in Southern California.
Commemorative Issue 2600th Anniversary Yearbook and Directory 1940-1941 (ddr-densho-480-2)
doc Commemorative Issue 2600th Anniversary Yearbook and Directory 1940-1941 (ddr-densho-480-2)
The yearbook includes pictures and information about Japanese American businesses, schools, organizations, individuals, and families. The directory includes city indexes for California, as well as a few city indexes for Arizona and Japan, with advertisements for businesses and organizations throughout the city indexes.
Group of women outside Shizuko Imagire's sewing school (ddr-ajah-6-135)
img Group of women outside Shizuko Imagire's sewing school (ddr-ajah-6-135)
Caption below photo: California Certified Imagire Women's Sewing School / Shizuko Imagire's first dress shop and sewing school at 1618 Park Street in Alameda, CA. Photo is of her third graduation class, circa 1925. She is standing front row, center.
The Imagire Sewing School Regulations (ddr-ajah-6-129)
doc The Imagire Sewing School Regulations (ddr-ajah-6-129)
Caption below photo: Shizuko Imagire's sewing school regulations from her Oakland, CA location. She opened her original dress shop and sewing school in Alameda, CA and later moved to Oakland, CA. Circa late 1920s
Group of women outside Shizuko Imagire's sewing school (ddr-ajah-6-136)
img Group of women outside Shizuko Imagire's sewing school (ddr-ajah-6-136)
Caption below photo: California Certified Imagire Women's Sewing School / Shizuko Imagire's first dress shop and sewing school at 1618 Park Street in Alameda, CA. Photo is of her fourth graduating class, circa 1926. She is standing front row, center.
Dresses on display inside Shizuko Imagire's shop and sewing school (ddr-ajah-6-138)
img Dresses on display inside Shizuko Imagire's shop and sewing school (ddr-ajah-6-138)
Caption below photo: Shizuko Imagire's dress shop and sewing school Oakland, CA. Her first location was across the Oakland Estuary, in Alameda. She held exhibits of her student's work inside her stores. July 2, 1939. Inscription on photo front: Imagire Sewing Class Tenth Exhibit 7-2-1939
Sign in window of Shizuko Imagire's Shop and Sewing School, in English and Japanese (ddr-ajah-6-134)
img Sign in window of Shizuko Imagire's Shop and Sewing School, in English and Japanese (ddr-ajah-6-134)
Caption below photo: Outdoor sign from Shizuko Imagire's first dress shop and sewing school in Alameda, CA. circa 1925. Translation: California Certified Imagire Women's Sewing School
People outside house with Japanese and United States flags (ddr-ajah-6-124)
img People outside house with Japanese and United States flags (ddr-ajah-6-124)
Caption below photo: In this circa 1905-1910s photo, 1218 Oak may have housed more than one business. In 1905 it was the is Shin Rou restaurant and also a Japanese Employment office. On January 24, 1907, a J. (No Suggestions) advertised cleaning and washing. On February 1, 1908, a Mr. Fujii advertised his washing and ironing …
Wooden sign from he Imagire Sewing School (ddr-ajah-6-142)
img Wooden sign from he Imagire Sewing School (ddr-ajah-6-142)
Caption below photo: Item from the Imagire Sewing School, originally located in Alameda, CA and later moved to Oakland, CA. This wooden sign came from her last store, in Reno, Nevada and is about 16 x 8", circa 1942 - 1950s.
Man standing on porch of house with business sign (ddr-ajah-6-123)
img Man standing on porch of house with business sign (ddr-ajah-6-123)
Caption below photo: this circa 1905-1910 photo of 1218 Oak includes signage that appears to state cleaning or cleaners, which fits the advertising from the 1907 era. In this circa 1905-1910 photo, 1218 Oak may have housed more than one business. In 1905 it was the Isshin Rou restaurant and also a Japanese Employment Office. On …
Group of women posing for photo (ddr-ajah-6-137)
img Group of women posing for photo (ddr-ajah-6-137)
Caption above photo: Imagire Dress Making School 9th graduation, Oakland, CA., circa 1938 Her first location was in Alameda, Across the Oakland Estuary. Inscription on front in Japanese, individuals identified.
Japanese American store owner prior to mass removal (ddr-densho-151-91)
img Japanese American store owner prior to mass removal (ddr-densho-151-91)
Original caption: San Francisco, California. Mr. Tatsuno pictured in his San Francisco drygoods store prior to evacuation of residents of Japanese ancestry. He was in the drygoods business for forty years in San Francisco. Evacuees will be housed in War Relocation Authority centers for the duration.
Yasui Brothers store in Hood River (ddr-densho-259-160)
img Yasui Brothers store in Hood River (ddr-densho-259-160)
Caption by Homer Yasui: "Daiichi Takeoka and Keisuke Ito of Portland, [Masuo Yasui], [Shidzuyo Yasui] and Senichi Tomihiro standing in front of the main door to the second Yasui Brothers store in Hood River."
img "Third Yasui Brothers Store under construction" (ddr-densho-259-284)
Caption by Homer Yasui: "This view [of the third Yasui Brothers Store under construction] was looking north northwest. The brick building to the left was the Hood River Hotel. The wooden building with the cupola and the verandas on both the first and second stories was the old Mt. Hood Hotel."
img "Third Yasui Brothers Store under construction" (ddr-densho-259-283)
Caption by Homer Yasui: "The Texaco service station being built on the corner of First and Oak Streets in Hood River, Oregon Third Yasui Brothers Store under construction."
Issei men outside a store (ddr-densho-259-265)
img Issei men outside a store (ddr-densho-259-265)
Caption by Homer Yasui: "This is the Oak Street view of the back half of the second Yasui Brothers store in Hood River. The man at the left was Kamematsu Norimatsu, but I don't know the other man."
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