Little Tokyo’s 111-Year-Old Mochi Ice Cream Shop Mikawaya Closes Permanently

One of Little Tokyo’s oldest businesses has closed suddenly after a remarkable 111-year legacy. Mikawaya began as a Japanese confections store in 1910 from Koroku and Haru Hashimoto that eventually became famous for its mochi ice cream, a product that continues to sit in grocery store freezer aisles. Frances Hashimoto became CEO of the company in 1970 at the age of 27 and ran the company until 2012. Yesterday, social media users saw a paper sign that stated the last day of business for the First Street shop, which has been a storefront for Mikawaya since 1945, and would be closing on June 30. The sudden closure of Mikawaya, which will continue to sell its mochi ice cream as its original label, as well as through a rebranded product called My Mochi, in retail stores, resembles that of Curry House, where ownership decided to quietly end operations instead of making a wider announcement of an impending closure.

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