East San Jose McDonald's makeover celebrates Latino culture

Rudy and Carmen Lemus can safely say they own the most beautiful McDonald’s in San Jose, if not the entire Bay Area. That’s because their restaurant on Story Road at Capitol Expressway — one of four they own in San Jose — was among a handful picked to receive a Latino-themed artistic makeover as part of Ritmo y Color, a nationwide McDonald’s initiative to celebrate Latino culture.

San Jose muralist Hector Covarrubias was commissioned earlier this year to transform the eatery, and he designed a colorful mural called “Patterns of Nature.” His design, which was installed this week, includes Monarch butterflies, green cacti tipped with orange blossoms, bright pink dahlias and a turquoise-and-yellow bird known as a torogoz in El Salvador, where it is the national bird.

McDonald’s launched Ritmo y Color in 2021, and this year the San Jose restaurant was one of six selected for artistic makeovers. The others are in New York, San Antonio, Dallas, Chicago and Miami. Houston, Phoenix and Los Angeles — all cities with large Latino populations — were selected in previous years.

A McDonald's on Story Road in San Jose, Calif., Wednesday, Aug. 2, 2023, shows off its new colors after being transformed by Hector Covarrubias for the restaurant's annual nationwide celebration of Latino culture. (Karl Mondon/Bay Area News Group)

Artist Hector Covarrubias stands by a McDonald's on Story Road in San Jose, Calif., Wednesday, Aug. 2, 2023, after its facade was transformed by one of his designs for the restaurant's annual nationwide celebration of Latino culture. (Karl Mondon/Bay Area News Group)

Artist Hector Covarrubias takes a photo of a McDonald's on Story Road in San Jose, Calif., Wednesday, Aug. 2, 2023, after its facade was transformed by one of his designs for the restaurant's annual nationwide celebration of Latino culture. (Karl Mondon/Bay Area News Group)

Artist Hector Covarrubias stands by a McDonald's on Story Road in San Jose, Calif., Wednesday, Aug. 2, 2023, after its facade was transformed by one of his designs for the restaurant's annual nationwide celebration of Latino culture. (Karl Mondon/Bay Area News Group)

Artist Hector Covarrubias stands by a McDonald's on Story Road in San Jose, Calif., Wednesday, Aug. 2, 2023, after its facade was transformed by one of his designs for the restaurant's annual nationwide celebration of Latino culture. (Karl Mondon/Bay Area News Group)

“We were very happy to be chosen. We think this will be so nice for our community,” said Carmen Lemus, who started working at McDonald’s when she was 16 and met her future husband working there. “They’ll feel welcome when they come here.”

Artistically, Covarrubias — who was born in Mexico — said he wanted the mural to reflect a wide range of Latino culture since the San Jose area has residents with roots throughout Latin America. He picked the torogoz, also a common bird in the Yucatán, specifically because Carmen Lemus’ family is from El Salvador.

“The principal idea to create this piece was trying to make it more charming to the people who live in this neighborhood,” said Covarrubias, whose art also decorates the interior of the restaurant. “Creating a mural can change the environment, the vibes of the people. Maybe if you’re having a bad day, you’ll pass by and see this and it can change your day.”

While Covarrubias normally paints his murals directly on the walls, this one was installed using vinyl sheeting. That meant the McDonald’s restaurant wouldn’t have to be covered by scaffolding and partially closed during the weeks it would take to install. Instead, the process took less than a day and should last for years.

Covarrubias said he appreciates the opportunity of getting a commission from a multinational corporation like McDonald’s, but he’s not sitting around for praise. He already has plans to create art at the Burning Man festival next month and then will be heading off to France to work on a project in Cannes.

ART AND ABOUT: Come to the Santa Clara County Fair for the carnival rides and corn dogs, but you should stay for the art. The Fair partnered with downtown San Jose’s 1Culture gallery on an “artists’ alley” in the Gateway Hall building that showcases the work of several Santa Clara Valley artists (including Hector Covarrubias) inside and live-painting of murals on its exterior walls.

One of the highlights inside are the miniature models created by San Jose artist and musician P.Locz. He has three scenes on display: a miniature of the fairgrounds entrance, complete with the iconic arch; a tribute to the fruit growers and cannery workers with a mini version of a Del Monte water tower; and, my favorite, a detail-perfect replica of the Wienerschnitzel on Santa Clara Street across from Roosevelt Park with lowriders in the parking lot. The fair, which seems to be enjoying a comeback with its longest-run in decades, is open through Sunday. Get tickets and schedules at www.thefair.org.

Of course, there’s plenty of art to see this week, with the return of the South First Fridays art walk and the summer street market in downtown’s SoFA District. Galleries and other venues will be open late on South First Street as artists and vendors take over a closed-off portion of the street between San Carlos and William streets. Get the full lineup of new and returning shows, as well as special receptions, at www.southfirstfridays.com.

SKATE AND SLIDE AWAY: If you’re old enough to remember Cal Skate and Splashdown — two Milpitas attractions with their heydays in the 1980s — you should appreciate Retro Milpitas, an effort by the city’s recreation department to recreate the vibes of yesteryear. The Milpitas Sports Center on Calaveras Boulevard will be a sort of time machine from 10 a.m. to 10 p.m. Friday and Saturday.

There’ll be roller skating, water slides, DJs, food trucks and bands. The Billy Martini band will serve up ’70s and ’80s tunes Friday, and Other People’s Money will play hits from the 1990s and 2000s on Saturday, with both starting at 6:30 p.m. Get more details at www.milpitas.gov/1040/Retro-Milpitas.

By the way, I deserve to get thrown off the rink for misspelling the name of Milpitas Mayor Carmen Montano in my column this week about the celebrity grape-stomping at the Italian Family Festa at History Park. I’ll have to root for her to win in the 2 p.m. competition against fellow mayors Matt Mahan of San Jose and Lisa Gillmor of Santa Clara.

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