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| A Tayama Greenhouse |
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A New Venture
Tayama prospered and grew, by adding ever more attractive and asked-for floral lines. In 1958, Tayama added the Cattleya Orchids of grower Joseph Urmstrom of Union Oil and J.W. Robinson Department Stores fame. This led to an opportunity in 1959 to buy the Urmstrom Orchid collection and launch another enterprise, Tayama Greenhouses of Encinitas, California. Our first employees there were two Urmstrom Orchids alumni, Jose Vasquez and Salvador Avila. Helping in this launch were silent partners Joe and Junzo Kimura, and later, Bud Cole who was brought on board to run and manage the greenhouse property.
By 1964, Bud was ready to retire, so the Kimura family bought his share of the greenhouse business. To run it, Joe and Tamie, along with their children Joanne, Linda and Michael, moved to Encinitas.
Shortly thereafter, Angie Graciano was added to the greenhouse staff, and is still employed with Tayama today, along with fellow floral packers Joanne Nelson and Gladys Tsuda. Tayama Wholesale also continued to grow and prosper during this time, adding to the business Esther and Moki Sur, and Satoru Kohigashi.
In 1966, Fred Tayama passed away. Chiyo assumed full control of the business. Joe Nakashima and Al Oshima were instrumental members of the Tayama team during Chiyo's tenure. In 1974, Chiyo sold Tayama Wholesale to Joe Kimura, Richard Kitagawa and Growers Wholesale, owned by Mas Yoshida and Shiz Tanaka. Soon thereafter, Chiyo sold the remainder of Tayama Greenhouse outright to the Joe Kimura family. In 1976, Richard Kitagawa sold his share of the business back to Joe, and in 1983, Joe's son Michael joined the company, assuring family continuity in the business.
In 1986, Chiyo Tayama passed away, 39 years after she and Fred first opened their small business in the LA Flower Market. In 1987, Tayama Wholesale became solely owned by the Kimura family. In early 1989, Gary Young became the grower at Tayama Greenhouses.
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