Uwajimaya is marking 98 years in business this month and plans to expand across western Washington. The family-owned grocer sells Japanese groceries and Pacific Rim specialties in the Puget Sound region.
Founded in 1928, the business was started by the grandfather of its current president and CEO, Denise Moriguchi. She said his early specialty was a fishcake he learned to make in Uwajima, the town that gave the store its name.
During World War II, Moriguchi’s grandparents were sent to an incarceration camp and lost the original business. They restarted it in Seattle in the 1940s. Uwajimaya has since grown beyond a neighborhood market; its offerings include sauces, snacks imported from Japan and fresh seafood.
Moriguchi said some customers who have moved here feel a connection to their home country or family when they visit. The company is also holding special events for its anniversary.
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