Celebrating 75
PETCO: 1965 The outpost where you picked out your first hamster began as a mail-order veterinary supply company, then known as Upco. Local transplant Walter Evans began shipping out equipment from San Diego County in 1965 and opened his first retail spot in La Mesa 12 years later, adding pet food and other products to his stock. In 2003, the company contributed $60 million for the right to name a certain downtown baseball stadium.
JAZZERCISE: 1969 Neon leotards, leg-warmers, tights, toned arms—it’s the look that launched a thousand ’80s-party costumes. In 1969, dance teacher Judi Sheppard Missett aimed to combat high student dropout rates with a class combining performance and exercise. Now based in Carlsbad, Jazzercise reached its peak in the 1980s, but more than 8,000 franchise studios still offer heartrate- boosting classes worldwide.
SAN DIEGO COMIC-CON INTERNATIONAL: 1970 Every year, more than 100,000 comic-book and pop-culture aficionados flock to the San Diego Convention Center to meet fellow enthusiasts; see panels featuring creators, artists, and actors; and explore the vast exhibit halls. In 1970, science-fiction devotee Sheldon Dorf recruited a few friends to help put on the first Comic-Con in downtown San Diego, drawing 300 fans. 50-ish years later, Comic-Con has grown into the globe’s largest gathering of cosplayers and comic geeks.
AUGUST 2023 82
Made with FlippingBook - Online magazine maker