A vibrant new outdoor hangout is quickly gaining popularity in downtown San Jose. Following the model of its popular counterpart in San Francisco, Spark Social has opened its doors in the South Bay, offering food trucks, music, TVs and mini golf just blocks away from the SAP Center.
The launch arrives as city officials continue working to draw more people downtown. San Jose Mayor Matt Mahan noted that while daytime crowds have not fully returned to pre-pandemic levels, activity on nights and weekends has surged past previous baselines.
City officials have noticed that sports are a major catalyst for bringing crowds downtown, highlighting recent large-scale World Cup watch parties and a packed crowd for a 49ers watch party at Spark Social.
Customer Joseph Nguyen, visiting for the fourth time since the space opened on Friday, praised the addition.
“I love it, I’m trying new food every time, my friends and I have a space to hang out,” Nguyen said. Another visitor added that “San Jose needed a place like this, and I really enjoy it.”
For local food vendors and small businesses, the venue provides crucial exposure and foot traffic.
“With this being here, it brings in a lot of foot traffic,” said John Gedam, co-owner of Jojo’s Chicken.
Peony, owner of Matcha Matcha, echoed that sentiment: “It definitely brings in new people, new demographic, it’s completely different, and we do have some of our regulars coming in.”
Mayor Mahan emphasized that the city is focusing on repeatable experiences to bolster the local economy.
“The thing that we can do now is encourage the experiences that become repeatable, whether it’s the new mini golf that they’ve got or is going over to Little Italy… going to a restaurant, hanging out before or after a game, I think sports entertainment is increasingly a core driver of at least the downtown economy,” Mahan said.
Spark Social features a packed schedule, including 49ers games, Monday Night Football, and a San Jose Sharks pregame tailgate.
“This new site, Spark Social, will support well over 100 jobs and I hope to see it thrive and see it continue to grow,” Mahan said. “I think this entire district, the walkable area… Diridon, Little Italy, has so much to offer.”