Exuding both a modern and retro feel, the coffee shop, with Wi-Fi outlets and original brick walls, once belonged to Roy Murotsune, 83, and his wife, Esther, 80, who came from a family of Japan-born sharecroppers.
After Murotsune’s relatives left World War II internment camps in Arizona and had the foresight to buy the property at the corner of Jackson and Fifth streets, Roy Murotsune ran a gas station with his brothers, while his other siblings operated an American-style diner next door.
Murotsune retired in 1990 after realizing how expensive it would be to update his gas tanks to meet state environmental standards. The property has sat mostly vacant, serving as an unbecoming storage site for several years.
Murotsune’s children and grandchildren now own and run the station-turned-cafe. “I want to honor my grandparents and their sacrifices to establish themselves here,” said Carole Rast, Roy’s daughter. “This is the continuity of our family.”
Roy’s Station is home to a coffee shop where our grandpa Roy’s Mobil gas station was, in the heart of San Jose’s Japantown. We are grateful for all the kind words and support, and welcome you to stop on in for a hot cup of Joseph
