History – Michael Charap

Michael Charap

Michael Charap History

Michael at age 3 born and raised in a Grocery Store.

This is the North Tacoma Washington Grocery store my parents inherited. 1960s

I had chores from an early age working in the grocery store. I was constantly in the store growing up around customers, Customer service is in my soul! My first assignment was the dog food section! There I learned to use the changeable price stamp machine. Every can of dog food had a price if not two or three stamped on it.

Stocking shelves-(dog food, soup), cardboard burning barrel, trips to warehouses “Cash & Carry” in the station wagon, were the norm. Right across the road was the Coca Cola bottling Company, where I knew our driver! The other warehouses were near the train tracks, and we loaded items from the train station. From a very early age I could understand logistics. More recently I was on the CCHBF’s (Coca Cola) sec xbrl programing team at RRD.

I was the youngest of five brothers and sisters. This where I learned to fight hard for what I wanted. After University, I moved to Japan to do three things, 1. Work: I started a school “Lets study English”. I advertised in the Japanese Newspapers. I hit a very successful business combination in Tokyo. At the same time, I worked for the government school system 8:00 am to 3:30 pm, Monday ~ Friday. This was at a Ku school (Tokyo City) and a National School (federal government.) Where I taught a computer course to Junior high school students. 2. I was a judo player in the beginning of my decade in Japan. 3. I was constantly studying Japanese reading and writing.

Some of my best childhood memories happened right here! Shopping cart races with my siblings. My first earthquake, first stack of one hundred 1$ dollars bills my mother let me hold for a long moment! The sound of the Swiss cash register, I remember the most! The store was also on my junior high school paper route, so I was familiar with the neighbors. I sold fishing flies that I tied and worms. One of my customers was the chief editor of the newspaper. That helped later when I was at college, and we needed to get the school plays into the local Tacoma News Tribune Newspaper. I worked a trade for a two-page spread, packing the house for the 5 plays I built during my first 2 years at college. I worked as a technical director on school plays to pay my way through school. Building sets, Lighting, and most importantly managing groups of students 10~15, on painting and lite construction workdays. I set up 2-hour projects that students worked with me under my direction. Kept them busy with tools, paint brushes, buckets, and worked as a liaison between the Maintenace Department for wood and supplies. Some of my best bosses were women, like Dr. Overland from Berkley California was a wonderful boss. I like smart bosses because they do not get intimidated! The two-page spread was mostly on her, so we got along very well. We were in sync, at Tacoma Community College. I studied Spanish with business administration. Our Spanish class took an international trip to Spain, Madrid, Burgos for 3 months. and I spent a month traveling Europe on Eurail Pass, playing judo, where I could find a dojo. I had a wonderful time in Venice playing judo!