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

img Seizaburo Mukai's Jackson Theater (ddr-densho-353-95)

Seizaburo Mukai also ran the Atlas, the Circle, and the Rialto theaters.

https://ddr.densho.org/ddr-densho-353-95/

img Higo's 5, 10, 15 cent store (ddr-densho-353-101)

The store was located at 671 Weller Street.

https://ddr.densho.org/ddr-densho-353-101/

img Northwest corner of 6th and King Street (ddr-densho-353-119)

Japanese businesses included Asakura Jewelry on the corner, Togo Meshiya, Sun Express, and a small grocery and tobacco shop run by the Sumiokas.

https://ddr.densho.org/ddr-densho-353-119/

img Jiro Kaneko's Pacific Printing Company (ddr-densho-353-87)

The Pacific Printing Company was located at 611 Main Street.

https://ddr.densho.org/ddr-densho-353-87/

img Northeast corner of 6th and King Street (ddr-densho-353-117)

Japanese businesses included the Dreamland Hotel, Komatsu-Zashi, Abe's dry goods store, Tokyo-Wan, Fujii Hotel, Inouye clothing store, New Golden Shoe repair, the Ogata's dry cleaning shop and the Salvation Army mission.

https://ddr.densho.org/ddr-densho-353-117/

img The Nagashima's Sarashina Noodle Shop (ddr-densho-353-84)

https://ddr.densho.org/ddr-densho-353-84/

img Star Laundry wagon (ddr-densho-353-72)

Star Laundry was located at 1229 Jackson Street. A note on the back indicates the driver as Mr. Shimono.

https://ddr.densho.org/ddr-densho-353-72/

img Van Siclen Apartments (ddr-densho-353-136)

The apartments were located at 1214 8th Avenue.

https://ddr.densho.org/ddr-densho-353-136/

img Kensaku Murata and a helper in M. K. Fish (ddr-densho-353-83)

M. K. Fish was located at 511 Main Street.

https://ddr.densho.org/ddr-densho-353-83/

img The Coffee Cup Cafe (ddr-densho-353-94)

The Cafe was located on 2nd Avenue.

https://ddr.densho.org/ddr-densho-353-94/

img Yamatoya on Jackson Street (ddr-densho-353-128)

https://ddr.densho.org/ddr-densho-353-128/

img Kime and Masako Nagashima in front of the Sarashima noodle shop (ddr-densho-353-85)

https://ddr.densho.org/ddr-densho-353-85/

img Ten cent store (ddr-densho-353-80)

Heitaro Matsumoto's ten cent store, located at 902 Yesler Way. Note on back: "Meiji 38 Apr, went to Fife, then hotel in Seattle, Taisho 7 Feb."

https://ddr.densho.org/ddr-densho-353-80/

img Northeast corner of 6th and Weller Street (ddr-densho-353-123)

Japanese businesses included the Midway hotel, a barber, tailor, dry goods store, and retaurants.

https://ddr.densho.org/ddr-densho-353-123/

img Jackson Plumbing (ddr-densho-353-131)

Jackson Plumbing was located at 667 Jackson Street. A note on the back reads: "Yamada, Asataro, Meiji 41 Jan."

https://ddr.densho.org/ddr-densho-353-131/

img The Bush Hotel and Jackson Furniture Co. (ddr-densho-353-104)

https://ddr.densho.org/ddr-densho-353-104/

img Higo's 5, 10, 15 cent store (ddr-densho-353-96)

The store was located at 602-608 Weller Street.

https://ddr.densho.org/ddr-densho-353-96/

img Group of men with a car (ddr-densho-353-82)

Okayama men on Main Street in front of the Mitsuwado. Note on back: " NW Nikkei caption 6-89: Mr. Yanagi (leaning against car) with friends, celebrates his graduation from the U of W's pharmacy school before returning to Japan." Another note says "set at 100, 2 sec"

https://ddr.densho.org/ddr-densho-353-82/

img A group in front of Star Laundry (ddr-densho-353-98)

Star Laundry was located at 1229 Jackson Street.

https://ddr.densho.org/ddr-densho-353-98/

img Rainier Heat and Power building and the Golden Shoe store (ddr-densho-353-106)

The Japanese Chamber of Commerce occupied rooms upstairs along with other professional offices.

https://ddr.densho.org/ddr-densho-353-106/

img Group of men with a car (ddr-densho-353-81)

Captioned: "On Main Street in front of the Mitsuwado." The Mitsuwado was a large bookstore. A note on the back reads: "set at 200, 8 sec."

https://ddr.densho.org/ddr-densho-353-81/

img Jackson Meat Company (ddr-densho-353-133)

The store was located at 677 Jackson Street.

https://ddr.densho.org/ddr-densho-353-133/

img Nihonmachi Jackson Street (ddr-densho-353-73)

Jackson Street, looking east from 5th Street. Note on back indicates Japanese stores in left foreground, and the Academy of Holy Names in background, built 1880. The photo was taken before the Jackson St. regrade of 1907-1909.

https://ddr.densho.org/ddr-densho-353-73/

img A group in front of the Eagle Laundry (ddr-densho-353-93)

The Eagle Laundry was located at 1251 Main Street.

https://ddr.densho.org/ddr-densho-353-93/

img Setsugo Hosokawa's Japanese Togo Real Estate & Contracting Co., Employment Agency (ddr-densho-353-78)

Located at 411 Main Street.

https://ddr.densho.org/ddr-densho-353-78/