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#ACTIVATESJ Boosting Businesses Along the Viva CalleSJ Route
The Pit Stop Program helps local businesses thrive with increased foot traffic and visibility
Picture the perfect Sunday: you’re rolling through the open streets of Japantown, Roosevelt Park, and the Municipal Rose Garden, and when you need to refuel, you stop by one of the many Viva CalleSJ Pit Stops!
Viva CalleSJ (VCSJ) is a fun and free event that encourages San José residents to roll through miles of open road, connect with the community, and discover local businesses along the route. It’s also an exciting opportunity for businesses to participate in the fun while engaging with thousands of visitors.
The Pit Stop Program partners with businesses along the VCSJ route. It helps boost business visibility and increase sales by offering activities, promotions, and special offers during the event. This is a great way for residents to try local vendors and increase foot traffic, keeping local businesses flourishing.
VCSJ brings the community together to explore San José!
For Jasmine, having social media coverage to promote her business as a Pit Stop Partner helped spread the word and increase visibility.
“As a Pit Stop partner, the biggest help was the social media promotion,” Jasmine said. “Usually, businesses have to create their own content for events to promote their wares, and not everyone has the ability and time to do that well, so having a partner in that process was very helpful.”
In addition to boosting business sales, the Pit Stop Program has also helped to create a sense of community and foster a stronger connection between residents and local businesses. Many VCSJ Pit Stops offered special menu items and discounts for the event.
James, General Manager at Zona Rosa, said they offered an all-day happy hour, dropping prices by 50% on popular menu items like salmon tacos and margaritas. After biking six miles of streets, hungry customers were happy about this deal!
Viva CalleSJ participants also got the pleasure of trying Roy’s Station Coffee and Teas exclusive Black Dragon Mango Tea and their Pumpkin Pie Latte with house-made pumpkin sauce – perfect for fall!
Open street events reduce carbon emissions and promote physical fitness.
The success of the VCSJ Pit Stop Program demonstrates the importance of supporting initiatives that promote sustainable transportation, economic development, and community engagement. As the City of San José continues to grow and evolve, it is essential to prioritize programs that benefit both residents and businesses alike.
Viva CalleSJ aligns with the City’s ActivateSJ guiding principle of public life by offering free and accessible events for residents to connect with members of their community and make lifelong memories with friends and family.
For more information on VCSJ and the Pit Stop Program, visit www.vivacallesj.org and be sure to follow and tag @VivaCalleSJ on Instagram, Facebook, and X.
The ActivateSJ Strategic Plan is the City of San José's Department of Parks, Recreation and Neighborhood Services (PRNS) plan to maintain, improve and expand our facilities, programs, and services. The plan guides how we care for and develop a diverse park system and an abundance of recreation programs and services for all in San José.
ActivateSJ’s mission is to connect people through parks, recreation, and neighborhood services for an active San José. To learn more about our department’s plan and vision to move forward, visit activatesj.org.