Before the war the Arai family owned a dry cleaning business at 10th and Main in Vancouver. A good friend, John Reid, lived and rented at the Main and 10th property initially. The dry-cleaning business was also rented to several different people who didn’t last very long at the business. At first, Mr. Reid collected the rent and paid the monies directly to the Arai’s. The government then ordered Mr. Reid to stop paying the Arai’s and to pay the monies to the Custodian of Enemy Property. The Arai’s never received rent money thereafter.
Yosh wrote letters to the government, some of which he was able to retrieve from the archives in Ottawa. Eventually the government sold their properties at 153/155 East 10th Avenue: 153 designated the second floor living quarters while 155 referred to the main floor with living quarters in the rear and their business, Lion Valet Cleaners, in the front.
The father owned a brand new 1941 car worth $1725. He was forced to sell it for $800. Yosh also owned a Model A which he turned into Hastings Park.
I had a Model A. I gave it to them. They took it away.
