SUSTAINING LOCAL ENTREPRENEURSHIP

SUSTAINING LOCAL ENTREPRENEURSHIP

Focusing on the stories behind various longstanding businesses and entrepreneurs throughout East San José, EASTSIDE Magazine has partnered with the City of San José’s Office of Economic Development and Cultural Affairs (OEDCA). Throughout the year, the magazine will be sharing behind-the-scenes glimpses, success stories, and the inspiration to do more for our favorite local businesses.

Pôr os pontos nos i’s, the Portuguese equivalent of the idiom, “Dotting the I’s and crossing the T’s. In an interview with Little Portugal business owners Helen Masamori and Davide Vieira, we dive deeper into clarifying and addressing pressing details about the upcoming development of the Alum Rock corridor.

Masamori: My name is Helen Masamori, I came here from Brazil about twenty-seven years ago, and since then, worked with the city of San José, and have helped people in the Hispanic community. Eight years ago, I opened my first business, Helen Masamori Agency and I have been helping the Portuguese and Hispanic communities in this area since.

Vieira: My name is Davide Vieira. I was born and raised in San José and have lived in this neighborhood for fifty-two years literally just on the other side of the freeway. So I am very well grounded –not just in San José but in this neighborhood. I have seen a lot of changes over those fifty-two years. My business is KSQQ 96.1 FM Coyote Communications, Inc.

“Throughout the year, the magazine will be sharing behind-the-scenes glimpses, success stories, and the inspiration to do more for our favorite local businesses.”

HOW DOES A LONG-TIME BUSINESS OWNER ALONG ALUM ROCK VIEW THE CURRENT WORK AND CHALLENGES? 

Masamori: I see a lot of businesses that need a lot of help. There is help available but businesses don’t know. So, we want to see more resources available and people knocking on doors to let them know about the type of resources available. Some resources are available and some are not because most of the business owners along the corridor are hardworking people, they pay their taxes, but some of them don’t qualify for aid because of titles of immigration and other reasons. I would love to see not only resources businesses here can receive, but also financial resources for these people who really need help.

Vieira: This area has faced a couple of knock-out punches in the past ten years. The first one was the Bus RAPID transit and what it did to the community with the loss of on-street parking and the bad signaling of traffic lights which makes it unattractive to use this as a commuter thoroughfare. And then came COVID. So literally, twenty-three businesses at the last count got knocked out of business by BRT and when COVID hit with a double whammy, it really impacted the flow of business and the entire corridor. BRT was imposed on us without our consent or insufficient outreach. Many times, East San José is used as a petri dish to experiment, and as you can see, BRT hasn’t expanded anywhere else. Cities North of San José like Santa Clara, Sunnyvale, Mountain View, and Palo Alto, have threatened lawsuits if VTA dares to even think they are going to ruin El Camino Real in their cities with BRT. 

“Many times, East San José is used as a petri dish to experiment, and as you can see, BRT hasn’t expanded anywhere else.”

HOW DOES A LONG-TERM PROJECT LIKE BART AND LA AVENIDA BENEFIT OUR COMMUNITY AND HELP US THRIVE?

Masamori: I think on the good side, public transportation will drive people here. We’ll have new stores and more apartment buildings –this will bring people here. As Davide said, the downside is that the corridor is losing parking. When the construction starts, it will be a whole ballpark because of traffic. Businesses will lose customers because they don’t want to drive here. A lot of people need to relocate, and who knows if they’ll be able to find a place to relocate to. So, we’re going to lose a lot of local business too. 

Vieira: Well, certain entities will benefit from BART here locally. For example, Cristo Rey San José Jesuit High School is a high school for under-resourced students, primarily from East San José. The school’s model is that each student works at least one full day a week, basically five days a month, so BART will open the ability to commute to their jobs. Today, the students are vanpooled to their jobs every day and students who work downtown take the bus. But it will open up more business opportunities and jobs for our kids in the East Valley. Which is good because they’ll definitely benefit. I know VTA is pushing for transit-oriented communities here and is heavily lobbying and working with the city and the neighborhood to develop the four urban village plans that we have in this area. I worked on the original 2013 urban village plan and that work is ongoing. So, we’re hopeful, it will bring new businesses and the people who will take advantage of those businesses, customers, and clients –not just businesses but services to bring them to our neighborhood. 

“...we’re hopeful, it will bring new businesses and the people who will take advantage of those businesses, customers, and clients –not just businesses but services to bring them to our neighborhood.”

WHAT KEEPS THE PORTUGUESE AND LATINO CULTURAL ROOTS ALIVE IN THIS AREA?

Vieira: The anchor of the Portuguese community is the Five Wounds Portuguese National Church. Beyond weekly Masses, parishioners organize religious celebrations incorporating outdoor religious processions like in “the old country”.  Popular celebrations among the community include dinners and dancing to Portuguese bands or DJs playing Portuguese music.  The I.E.S. Hall was founded in devotion to the Holy Spirit and as a precursor to establishing Five Wounds Portuguese National Parish and constructing the church. The I.E.S. Hall holds its major celebration in honor of the Holy Spirit on the last weekend of June, complete with a parade on East Santa Clara St and Alum Rock Ave that brings together representatives from other Portuguese organizations from throughout the state. Three Portuguese marching bands are also local, the oldest being founded in 1973. Two Portuguese soccer fan clubs are here as well, where fans gather to watch games and socialize. A Carnaval folklore group also located their social club in Little Portugal next to Adega Restaurant. Adega Restaurant was established as a high-end restaurant serving Portuguese cuisine and was the first and only restaurant in San José to receive a Michelin star (twice). It will be transitioning to a second location of the owners’ Petiscos Restaurant in early 2024, serving a broader customer base. The Portuguese Community Center (POSSO) was established in 1976 to primarily serve seniors. Today, it serves all ages. It also offers Portuguese language classes and Portuguese cooking classes.  Located in Little Portugal is the only Portuguese language radio station west of the Mississippi – KSQQ 96.1 FM – though it brokers much of its time to Chinese language programming.  Portuguese programming is two hours daily, most of Saturday, and all of Sunday.  Though KSQQ does broadcast in Portuguese 24/7 on its FM subcarrier frequency that requires a special radio that it sells and it’s also 24/7 in Portuguese on the Internet.

For Latino cultural roots, we have the School of Arts and Culture at the Mexican Heritage Plaza.  Its newest vision is “La Avenida”, a cultural district on the E. Santa Clara/Alum Rock corridor from 28th St to the Mexican Heritage Plaza and its recently-acquired property across from the Plaza where a new cultural venue is planned, as well as a medical clinic and a cafecito. Now that cruising is allowed in San José and statewide, E. Santa Clara and Alum Rock will showcase the lowrider car culture again. If you’re into Zumba for exercise, there are several locations where you can get active.

WHY SHOULD PEOPLE COME AND SHOP HERE?:

Vieira: Enjoy Portuguese cuisine at the soon-to-be-open Petiscos Restaurant and at Bacalhau Grill inside Trade Rite Market where you can take home Portuguese and Brazilian foodstuffs, as well as wines and liquors. Café do Canto is a morning coffee, espresso, and quick breakfast spot that’s been around for decades. More than that, it’s a place to socialize while getting your caffeine fix. SJPD even stops in, so you know it must be good. Popular Bakery dates back to the 1970s and caters to the Portuguese sweet tooth and lovers of Portuguese-style bread and rolls. Licia Imports carries Portuguese 19 kt jewelry and gifts. 

There are many Mexican, Central American, and even South American restaurants along the corridor, along with food trucks and carts that pop up when the sun goes down. Mexico Bakery is the go-to place for your sweet tooth and tortas too. Quinceañera stores abound in the area as well as venues for this special celebration, showcasing formalwear and accessories for every teenage taste. Western wear stores with a Latino bent also abound here. Our Latino supermarkets and convenience stores serve the area with specialty items not found elsewhere. Jewelry stores serving Spanish-speaking gift seekers are also popular.

More generally, automotive repair businesses are well-represented in the area. Tire and wheel stores too. Insurance agents that cater to monolingual Spanish speakers are abundant here. Beauty salons as well. 

---