Sawtelle Merchants Tell Their Stories
The experiences of Japanese American merchants who established businesses on Sawtelle Boulevard in West Los Angeles decades ago were shared at the fifth Sawtelle Stories Forum, held Nov. 19 at West L.A. Buddhist Temple.
Organized by former West Los Angeles College President Jack Fujimoto with an advisory committee, the forums have been held since 2008 and have covered such topics as the boarding houses of Sawtelle and dancer Miyoko Watanabe’s roots in the neighborhood.
Fujimoto served as emcee while his son Randy videotaped the forum to be posted at www.sawtellejis.org (Japanese Institute of Sawtelle).
Four businesses were represented on the panel: Yamaguchi’s, Tensho Do Drugs, Sawtelle Food Market, and Safe and Save Market
Sawtelle Food Market
Yuki Toya Sakurai told the story of Sawtelle Food Market, which was operated by her parents, Fusajiro and Aki Toya. “It was a place where the customers came after work to purchase fresh and wholesome foods for their families,” she recalled. “Often Fusajiro Toya could be found sitting on a stool behind the counter rolling his favorite Bull Durham cigarette. He used that time to think of ways to improve the business and keep the customers happy.”
“We know from our market studies that there is a great need for affordable rental apartments for seniors,” she said. Mercy Housing Lakefront expects to find out this spring if it will receive tax credits for the project. If it receives the tax credits,