408 Innovates the food industry
Stephen's Meat products
In 1942, the son of an Italian immigrant named Stephen Pizzo opened a new meat market on Bird Road in San Jose. Stephen’s Meats would gain local popularity for three generations from its quality and flavorful sausage and pork products.
Pizzo was visionary enough to purchase the first vacuum-pack lunch meat wrapper West of the Missouri. “They said he was crazy,” said Bob Morrison, Pizzo’s son-in-law.
408 innovates government
The first state capital
From 1849-1851, San Jose was California's first state capital. The first Assembly met in an unassuming two-story adobe house which was unfinished in December of 1849, requiring the Senate to meet elsewhere, at Isaac Branham's house at the corner of the modern-day Plaza de Cesar E. Chavez.
408 Innovates Culture
Birthplace of Lowrider Magazine and Lowrider Media
In 1977, Sonny Madrid released the first issue of Lowrider Magazine from a small building on Willow Street. Later he would move his headquarters to Williams Street. Lowrider Magazine is among a few other pioneering magazines documenting lowrider culture from San Jose to the world!