I saw this article over breakfast at Urth Caffe this morning

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A Sweet Century
The Little Tokyo Bakery Mikawaya Celebrates 100 Years
by Richard Guzmán


Frances Hashimoto has been running Mikawaya since 1970. Her family bought the Little Tokyo business in 1910. Photo by Gary Leonard.


Published: Friday, March 5, 2010
DOWNTOWN LOS ANGELES - Frances Hashimoto jumps out of her chair when a few of her longtime customers walk in. She hugs them, says a few words in Japanese, and they go off to buy some sweets.

The scene repeats a few minutes later when George Takei enters the shop in Japanese Village Plaza. She hugs the actor, best known for his role as Sulu in “Star Trek” but a champion of Little Tokyo for decades. She hugs him and leads him to the back of the store where he peruses some colorful confections in a glass case.

Meanwhile, a young couple sits at a nearby table, ready to try the store’s specialty for the first time.

It’s a typical day at Mikawaya, the Little Tokyo-based bakery and ice cream empire that is celebrating 100 years in business this month. In its century long history, it has become a community gathering place, and is famous for inventing a quirky but popular ice cream treat.

“We’ve been very lucky to be part of this community for so long,” said Hashimoto, the president and CEO of Mikawaya.

Her family bought the bakery in 1910 and, after taking over 40 years ago, Hashimoto now runs the $13 million-a-year business. The operations include five retail stores, one of them in Honolulu, as well as a 10,000-square-foot warehouse and bakery on Fourth Street in Downtown and a recently opened 100,000-square-foot facility in Vernon where they manufacture ice cream.

But it’s the loyal customers who keep the flagship space in Japanese Village Plaza thriving.

“I’ve been a customer here ever since I’ve been a kid,” Takei said, holding up a bag of pastries he had just purchased.

Takei will host a 100th birthday party for the store on Monday, March 8.

Omedeto gozaimasu, Mikawaya...!

Anytime I'm out there, that's always a place I have to stop by...

Hmm, didn't recognize Frances with her blond hair....

bmwracer wrote:

Omedeto gozaimasu, Mikawaya...! Anytime I'm out there, that's always a place I have to stop by... Hmm, didn't recognize Frances with her blond hair....

It's a great story, huh.

EDIT: 13 million dollars a year is a staggering amount of money I thought. Good for them.

Tu_triky wrote:

It's a great story, huh.

Absolutely.

Quote:

EDIT: 13 million dollars a year is a staggering amount of money I thought.

That mochi ice cream ain't cheap.

bmwracer wrote:

That mochi ice cream ain't cheap.

That stuff must sell like gangbusters!

Tu_triky wrote:

That stuff must sell like gangbusters!

Odd factoid: the cost of a box is cheaper at Trader Joe's than at Mitsuwa.

bmwracer wrote:

Odd factoid: the cost of a box is cheaper at Trader Joe's than at Mitsuwa.

That is crazy, dood.

Tu_triky wrote:

That is crazy, dood.

More crazy: Kikkoman shoyu is cheaper at Albertson's than at Mitsuwa.

bmwracer wrote:

More crazy: Kikkoman shoyu is cheaper at Albertson's than at Mitsuwa.

I guess their markup is higher for some reason...I don't know if it's because they think they can get away with it or whether it's for some other reason.

Tu_triky wrote:

I guess their markup is higher for some reason...I don't know if it's because they think they can get away with it or whether it's for some other reason.

One of those oddities in the world of retail business.

bmwracer wrote:

One of those oddities in the world of retail business.

Yup. No arguments here.

Tu_triky wrote:

I saw this article over breakfast at Urth Caffe this morning =============================== A Sweet Century The Little Tokyo Bakery Mikawaya Celebrates 100 Years by Richard Guzmán ... Takei will host a 100th birthday party for the store on Monday, March 8.

the Urth Cafe on Hewitt? I was there yesterday morning


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Speaking of bakeries.. evertime i head east on 101/5, i get the smell of really good bread. but no one knows if there is a bakery there or not.. anyone know? It's gotta be somewhere around the LAPD airstation, or the gated complex south of the 101 and 5.

krim wrote:

the Urth Caffe on Hewitt? I was there yesterday morning

That's the one. I was there around 9:30 or so...

Quote:

Speaking of bakeries.. evertime i head east on 101/5, i get the smell of really good bread. but no one knows if there is a bakery there or not.. anyone know? It's gotta be somewhere around the LAPD airstation, or the gated complex south of the 101 and 5.

I know exactly what you are talking about...I smell it all the time.

I went in little past 10 for some coffee.

krim wrote:

I went in little past 10 for some coffee.

I see...we probably just missed eat other because I think I left before 10 am...small world (for foodies!)

next time you're there, look across the street and you may see me there with a camera pointed in your direction from the 4th floor of the garage.

krim wrote:

next time you're there, look across the street and you may see me there with a camera pointed in your direction from the 4th floor of the garage.

or if you see someone moon you from the rooftop pool... yeah. that's me, and it wouldn't be the first time it's happened.

krim wrote:

or if you see someone moon you from the rooftop pool... yeah. that's me, and it wouldn't be the first time it's happened.

You clown.

Do you live at Barker?

Tu_triky wrote:

You clown. Do you live at Barker?

might as well, im there so much. sometimes i have my own key fob because my friend is too lazy to ring me in so much.