ART OKIRetirement is sweet

Madeline Moy, COM 351

WHO IS ART OKI AND WHY DID I WANT TO INTERVIEW HIM?

Art is an acquaintance of my husband who recently retired and started his own business making Japanese sweets.

I sampled some of Art’s mochi (Japanese rice cake), which I thought were delicious.

I have a deep interest in food, and I especially love desserts. I have always enjoyed eating mochi so my main purpose in interviewing Art was to learn more about his business and how he prepares his sweets.

ALL ABOUT ART Born and raised in Seattle Third-generation Japanese-American Has two sisters and one brother, he is the

second oldest Attended Franklin High School, Seattle

Community College, University of Washington and Seattle Pacific University

Not married but has a significant other and a dog named Sadie

55 years old

ALL ABOUT ART Art has worked mostly in finance and accounting.

Columbia Greenhouse Nordstrom Northern Commercial Company People’s Bank Pay N Save City of Des Moines Seattle Housing Authority City of Seattle

Department of Neighborhoods Department of Engineering Seattle Public Utilities City Attorney’s Office

ALL ABOUT ART Art retired at age 55, but he wanted to stay

active so he made plans to start his own business.

“While I was working for the city, I was thinking about…what I would do after retirement…I thought (Japanese sweets) would be a fun thing to pursue.”

JAPANESE SWEET SHOPS IN SEATTLE According to Art, there hasn’t been a

Japanese sweet shop in the Seattle area for at least 30 years. Why? The families that had done it previously—

the children decided to do other things. And fairly labor intensive business.

People have been going to California or Hawaii to get sweets or they import them from Japan.

GETTING DOWN TO BUSINESS Art’s business is called Umai-Do, which is

Japanese for “tasty shop.” He trained for four years with a well-known

Japanese sweets manufacturer in Los Angeles.

Art is currently running the business out of his home and has four employees.

He wants to sell to “everybody and anybody.” Art will be opening a retail location at 19th

and Jackson Street in Seattle. Tea will be served, and Art hopes his shop will become “the Japanese version of Starbucks.”

JAPANESE SWEETS 101 Manju: General term for Japanese sweets.

According to Wikipedia, there are many varieties of manju, but most have an outside made from flour, rice powder and buckwheat and a filling of red bean paste, made from boiled azuki beans and sugar.

Wagashi: Traditional Japanese confectionery which is often served with tea.

Mochi: A Japanese rice cake made of glutinous rice pounded into paste and molded into shape.

Mochi making video

ART’S SWEETS Manju-Habutai: White mochi with red bean

paste Pink Mochi: Pink mochi with white bean paste Manju-Yomogi: Green tea mochi with red

bean paste Manju-Kinako: Soy bean flour and green

mochi with red bean paste Dorayaki: Pancake with red bean paste Matcha Dorayaki: Green tea pancake with

red bean paste Imogashi: Cakey cover with white bean paste

WHAT WILL SUCCESS LOOK LIKE? Art’s goals for his business

To make a profit Be known for high-quality sweets Multiple locations Have happy employees To spread the word about Japanese sweets and

expose more people to them

“For me, it’s a passion…I don’t even think about the bottom line at this point.”