Suehiro Founder Junko Suzuki Passes at Age 84
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Junko Suzuki in the kitchen of Suehiro Cafe in Little Tokyo. She founded the First Street restaurant with her sister Yuriko in 1972.
By ELLEN ENDO, Rafu Shimpo
Junko Suzuki, the woman who co-founded one of Little Tokyo’s most enduring restaurants, Suehiro Café on First Street, has passed away at the age of 84.
Junko immigrated to the U.S. in 1969 from Gunma-ken, Japan. Although neither she nor her sister, Yuriko, possessed previous restaurant experience, they established Suehiro in 1972, serving authentic home-style Japanese dishes. Her approach to the menu was simple. “Just serve what I like to eat.” she once told her son, Kenji, 57.
Little Tokyo Businesses Receive Grants from GoFundMe Campaign
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Mary Onoue of Kuragami Florist holds a check she received from a small business relief fund created by the Little Tokyo Community Council.
Mamoru Hanamaru of Mimtsuru Grill
The Little Tokyo Community Council (LTCC) has awarded a total of $50,000 in grant funding to 25 small businesses in Little Tokyo that have faced significant revenue losses as a result of the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic.
Each business has received a $2,000 grant made possible by donations from the Little Tokyo Small Business Relief Fund, a program created as a partnership between LTCC and the Little Tokyo Service Center (LTSC) to provide financial support for local businesses during the ongoing pandemic.