Store proprietor George Taniguchi

By Curtis Lum
Advertiser Staff Writer

George T. Taniguchi, who ran the mom-and-pop Taniguchi Store in McCully for more than 40 years, died May 19 in Honolulu. He was 78.

Taniguchi

In 1950, he returned to Hawai'i and went to work in the store. With his wife, Michiyo, the couple soon took over operations, and in 1970 they relocated Taniguchi store from its original King Street location to a new space on South Beretania Street.

By then, Taniguchi Store had found a niche by providing fresh meat, fish and produce, as well as bentos, okazu and other Japanese items. Quality was a priority and Taniguchi would spend the early morning hours shopping for the freshest fish.

At the store, Taniguchi ran the meat market and customers would flock to the store for its sukiyaki meat. Meanwhile, Michiyo Taniguchi was busy in the kitchen, cooking up the store's popular nishime and other items.

The two worked at the store seven days a week until their retirement in 1992.

Michiyo Taniguchi said her husband was very strict, but treated their employees well.

"The part-time boys would come back and ask him to play golf with them, and even their weddings they invited us," she said. "Sometimes he was mean, but he had a sweet heart."

Benson Taniguchi worked most of his life at his parents' store. Throughout the years, he said his parents kept the store profitable, despite increased competition from grocery store chains and big-box operators.

"It was very hard for us to compete at that level, unless we specialized our services.

So by bringing in imports from Japan and speciality items, it really brought in the Japanese people," said Benson Taniguchi. "New Year's time it was real busy because most of the traditional food that is necessary for the celebration of New Year's we used to carry."

In 1992, George and Michiyo retired and sold the store. Eight years later the store was closed for good.

In his retirement, Taniguchi enjoyed working in his garden and taking trips with his wife to Japan and Las Vegas. He was a member of the Honpa Hongwanji Mission, American Veterans Association and the Ho-nolulu Country Club.

"The whole experience of the store itself, that was his life and my mother's life," Benson Taniguchi said. "They gave their heart and soul, day in and day out, seven days a week, and that's something that a lot of people wouldn't have the fortitude to do today."

In addition to his wife and son, Taniguchi is survived by a daughter, Lynne Watanabe; sister, Chieko Katayama; and five grandchildren.

Visitation will be at 5 p.m. Tuesday at Hosoi Garden Mortuary, with service at 6 p.m.

Reach Curtis Lum at 525-8025 or culum@honoluluadvertiser.com.