Jose A. Campos was born in 1913 in Puerto De Luna, a small farming town south of Santa Rosa. Along with his family, and the entire nation, he experienced the many hardships of the Great Depression. He worked in C. C. camps and did odd jobs to help support his family. In 1942, he enlisted and served throughout World War II. Although he only received a 10th grade education, he dreamed of starting his own business. He began by hauling ice and coal to Santa Rosa.
Little by little, he saved enough to purchase his own trucks. Later, he opened a gas station with his twin brother, Joaquin, and then expanded the station into a Kaiser Frasier auto dealership, and the La Loma Motel. He met his future bride, Carmen, a self-employed pharmacist, in September 1948, at the Fiestas de Santa Fe. They married in January and soon began their family of seven children. In 1956, they opened La Fiesta Drive- In on Route 66. Within a couple of years, they expanded into a full service restaurant, and later, Santa Rosa’s only cafeteria style restaurant.
However, with the creation of the super highways, Route 66 was replaced by Interstate-40, and Santa Rosa was bypassed. La Fiesta and Downtown Santa Rosa suffered, as did many of the businesses along Route 66. In 1985, La Fiesta was handed down to the next generation, and soon became Joseph’s Bar & Grill. The business expanded to include a gift shop, and a full service bar and nightclub featuring live entertainment and karaoke.
In recent years, Santa Rosa has enjoyed a comeback, thanks to the many return customers from coast to coast, who once traveled old Route 66, The Mother Road. Renewed nostalgia for the oldroad has brought new friends from throughout the United States, and Europe, as well. In 1990, Jose Sr., or Mr. C. as he was affectionately called by his employees, passed on, but his legacy continues,through his son Joseph, his wife Christina, and their children: Analisa, Andrea and Jose III. Through the many years and the many changes along Route 66, one thing has remained the same – the Campos family’s desire to provide the best food and the friendliest service, in a warm atmosphere, to its customers, the travelers of Historic Route 66.
Joseph's Bar & Grill 