🏠 Uwajimaya is Returning to Tacoma

The Beloved Asian Supermarket is Opening at Tacoma Central in 2027, Bringing a Founding Story Full Circle

This is one of those rare retail announcements that's also a piece of regional history.

Uwajimaya the Pacific Northwest's most beloved Asian supermarket, has signed a lease to open a new store in Tacoma Central, in the former Hobby Lobby space. The store is planned to open in the first half of 2027, designed in the same "village-style" concept as their iconic Seattle flagship.

It's also a homecoming nearly 100 years in the making.

🏠 The Founding Story

Uwajimaya was founded in Tacoma in 1928 by Fujimatsu and Sadako Moriguchi at 1502 Broadway, in what was then Tacoma's vibrant Japantown. The Moriguchi family operated the store through the 1930s.

Then came WWII.

In 1942, following Executive Order 9066, the Moriguchi family, like nearly all Japanese Americans on the West Coast, were forced from their homes and into government incarceration camps. The family was sent to Tule Lake, one of the largest and most notorious of the camps. The original Uwajimaya in Tacoma was closed.

After the war, the family eventually rebuilt the business in Seattle, where Uwajimaya has grown into the cornerstone of Seattle's International District (and expanded to Bellevue, Renton, and Beaverton, OR).

But Tacoma, the founding city, has been a notable gap.

👤 Coming Home

The decision to return is being led by Denise Moriguchi, Uwajimaya's current CEO and third-generation leader (Fujimatsu and Sadako's granddaughter).

"Returning to Tacoma almost a century later is both exciting and deeply significant," Denise said in the company's announcement. "Uwajimaya was founded in Tacoma's Japantown by my grandparents nearly 100 years ago until they were forced into incarceration camp at Tule Lake during World War II. We will honor their legacy as we re-establish Uwajimaya's presence in this vibrant community."

🛒 What the Store Will Look Like

The Tacoma Central location is planned to follow the "village-style" concept used at Uwajimaya's Seattle flagship:

• Asian grocery with the deep selection of Japanese, Korean, Chinese, Filipino, Vietnamese, Thai, and Indian ingredients Uwajimaya is known for

• Food vendors within the store creating a marketplace feel

• Gathering spaces designed to serve as a community destination

📅 Timeline & Footprint

• Tacoma store: opens first half of 2027 at the former Hobby Lobby space, Tacoma Central

• Issaquah store: also opening 2027 (announced July 2025, former Rite Aid off Gilman Blvd)

• Jobs: the two new stores combined are expected to create 150–200 jobs

📍 Where

Uwajimaya Tacoma (coming 2027)
Tacoma Central, former Hobby Lobby space
(Exact address to be confirmed; Tacoma Central is at S 38th St and South Tacoma Way)

📈 Why It Matters

Beyond the immediate retail story, Asian groceries are notably underserved in Tacoma proper, and Uwajimaya is a destination that pulls regional shoppers, this is a piece of community repair. The Moriguchi family was forcibly removed from Tacoma during one of the darkest chapters in American history. Their granddaughter bringing the family business home, by choice, is the kind of generational homecoming that matters.

It's also another sign of the South Tacoma corridor's broader momentum, after the Village at Tacoma Mall expansion and other recent investments. Watch for the formal grand opening announcement closer to 2027.

📬 I'm Aaron Thomas, a local realtor sharing stories that connect us to the places we call home. Every Friday, we publish the South Sound Report, keeping you informed about what's happening in Tacoma, Olympia, DuPont, Puyallup, Lakewood, and the communities in between.

👉 Subscribe at SouthSoundReport.com to never miss a beat.