"I really enjoy interacting with the visitors, says Janet Namba, one of the Museum Store volunteers. “They come from the Midwest, the East Coast, and all over the country,” she says. While growing up in Detroit, her parents and grandparents never talked about their experiences during the war, Janet recalls. And it was after she moved to California and then later through her work at JAMsj that she began to learn about Japanese American history. "For me, it’s very interesting to learn about how the visitors came to know about us and to hear what their take was after going through the museum.”
“The purpose of the Museum Store is to generate income to carry out the Museum’s mission, which is to highlight and preserve the Japanese American history,” says Reiko. It is important that the store sells educational material, such as books and DVDs, for the students that come on school tours and other visitors that want to learn more. But is there a way to increase the income at the store?
Reiko came up with the idea to start the “Vintage Sales” section at the Museum Store. An increasing number of people were donating Imari dishes, dolls, and other beautiful items, which JAMsj sells once a year at the Vintage Sale in the JAMsj parking lot during Nikkei Matsuri.. But there was space at the Museum Store. Why not sell them year-round? It turned out to be a great idea not only because they generate more income for the museum, but “the items find good homes as they get purchased by people that are appreciative of them,” says Reiko.
Both Reiko and Janet started volunteering at the museum after retirement, but they are delighted to see the younger generation take leadership in continuing the mission of JAMsj.
