Uwajimaya celebrates 98 years in the Pacific Northwest

A local family-owned favorite is celebrating a major milestone this month. For nearly a century, 98 years to be exact, Awajimaya has been the go-to destination for Japanese groceries and Pacific Rim specialties. Fox 13's Shira Matsuzawa caught up with the founder's granddaughter, who's also the grocery store's president and CEO, to find out the secret to their near-century of success. Well, I talked with so many people today who didn't want to go on camera, but they tell me when they first moved here from Japan, It was Awajimaya that sold the Japanese products that they couldn't find anywhere else. Pictures from the past. The year was 1928 when Denise Moriguchi's grandfather first opened Awajimaya. My grandfather, his specialty item when he first started was a fish cake that he learned how to make in the town of Wajima and open store. But then World War II happened and Denise's grandparents were sent to an incarceration camp. So they lost the business, they had to restart, and they restarted in Seattle in the 1940s. Fast forward to today, as the local family-owned grocery store is celebrating 98 years in business. If you walk through the store, cases of fish and seafood are on display, while sauces and snacks from Japan line the aisles. Denise, who is also the president and CEO of Awajimaya, says over the years, They've grown from being a neighborhood store to a destination store that creates connections. People feel that connection to maybe their home country if they've moved here and they really get, you know, feel their grandparents or their family or their home. But we also create new discoveries. As some grocery stores close their doors, Awajimaya is expanding to Issaquah and Tacoma. So what's the secret to its success? We're committed to this community. We're committed to our customers. So we're going to weather through thick and thin. And Denise says they're grateful to the community that supported them. And they look forward to the next 98 years. I'm thankful for everything that came before me. And I'm really excited for the future. And the two new locations in Issaquah and Tacoma are expected to open next year. In Seattle, Shira Matsuzawa, Fox 13 News. Awajimaya is celebrating all month long with special deals, deals, including a food fair featuring imported treats and snacks straight from Japan.