San Jose, CA - In San Jose is a real porker of a sign. This marquee for Stephen's Meat Products has advertised this meat business for many years. The piggy appears to be quite happy, probably because he also lights up at night.

Stephen's Meat Products sign
San Jose, CA
Photo courtesy Devil Doll

A pig seems like an unlikely fellow to celebrate a meat business, but the Stephen's Meat Products sign in San Jose gave him quite a stage. With flashing neon feet and a cheerful pose, the dancing pig spent decades putting on a show above Montgomery Street. “Pure Pork Sausage” supplied the sales pitch below. Apparently nobody had explained the finer points of the business to its mascot.

The sign stood near what is now Diridon Station, where it became a familiar sight to travelers and people making their way through the neighborhood. There was plenty to notice beyond the company name. The animation gave the pig a little movement, turning an ordinary advertisement into something worth watching for another moment.

Stephen's Meat Products wall mural
San Jose, CA
Photo by RoadsidePeek.com

Behind the neon was Stephen Pizzo's meat business, which supplied sausages, hot dogs, bacon, and other products to local customers. While the work inside involved processing, packing, and deliveries, the pig outside handled the introductions. Quite a memorable salesman for something usually found behind a grocery counter.

The old plant disappeared in November 2007, leaving the sign standing after the building beneath it was gone. For years, the pig watched over a much quieter patch of ground, with the former industrial site becoming a parking lot. The name still hung above the street, but there was no longer a factory below to back up the advertisement.

The Stephen's Meat building was built in 1948 although the business itself dates back to the times of the Great Depression. In the last decades, Stephen's couldn't compete with the big corporations and finally closed down after 63 years of business.

Script Sign
San Jose, CA
Photo by RoadsidePeek.com

Surviving demolition was only part of the story. Weather and years without regular care took their toll, and the neon needed attention before the pig could dance again. The Preservation Action Council of San Jose rallied support through its “Save Our Dancing Pig” campaign, bringing together people who wanted this familiar piece of the city to keep its place. Repairs returned the glow and movement to the old marquee.

The sign made another trip in October 2022, when it was relocated to History Park for safekeeping during the planned redevelopment of its downtown surroundings. A celebration the following month welcomed the pig to its temporary home. After so many years advertising sausage, the old fellow had become an attraction in his own right.

Stephen's Meat Products
San Jose, CA
Photo by RoadsidePeek.com

UPDATE: Unfortunately, the business is situated rather close to a sports complex which put this location at risk. The economy and competition with larger corporations didn't help either. In 2005, San Jose's redevelopment agency set aside parcels of land occupied by Stephen's for a future baseball stadium. This led to the activity in November 2007 where the Stephen's Meat Products building was razed over and demolished. The site is now a 140-space parking lot. 10-08

UPDATE: The restored Stephen's Meat Products sign is displayed at History Park on Senter Road. Its relocation was planned as temporary, with an eventual return to the Downtown West area near its original home. For now, the pig has another place to keep those neon feet moving. Not a bad second act for an old meat-market mascot. 09-26

Back for more Lost Treasures from Northern California