The Brief
- Family-owned Pacific Rim grocer Uwajimaya is celebrating 98 years of business in the Puget Sound region.
- Founded in 1928, the store survived WWII incarceration camps to grow from a local market into a major regional hub.
- Despite widespread retail grocery closures, the company is actively planning further expansion across western Washington.
SEATTLE – A local, family-owned specialty grocer is celebrating a major milestone this month, marking 98 years of serving Japanese groceries and Pacific Rim specialties in the Puget Sound region.
Uwajimaya, founded in 1928, is commemorating nearly a century in business with special events and plans for further regional expansion.
From Humble Beginnings to Post-War Resilience
The backstory:
The business was originally founded by current President and CEO Denise Moriguchi’s grandfather.…