Downtown Roseville This Fall: New Patios on Vernon Street, a Busy Calendar, and the Old Post Office Rooftop That Hasn't Opened Yet

The building at 320 Vernon Street faces City Hall and Vernon Street Town Square. It went up in phases between the 1930s and the 1960s and served as Roseville's post office until the U.S. Postal Service moved out in 2020. Old Town Pizza is turning it into a three-level restaurant with a rooftop bar, and as of the Downtown Roseville Partnership's Sept. 18 update, the company hadn't yet announced an opening date. I found no newer opening announcement before this post was published.

That unopened building sits at the center of downtown Roseville's fall. The Town Square across the street holds almost every downtown event from Halloween to the tree lighting. Until the post office opens, a few small daytime businesses and the city's own event calendar carry the block.

The building across from City Hall

The post office has been a question for the city for a long time. The Sacramento Bee reported in March that Roseville bought the half-acre site in 2010. The plan then was a six-story mixed-use building with a hotel, housing, retail and a rooftop restaurant. That plan fell through after the developer decided the site couldn't support a project that large.

Old Town Pizza began in Auburn in 1999 and is a Placer County company. According to the Bee, founder Reese Browning spent about ten years trying to get this building. The company paid $1.75 million for it, part of an $8 million renovation of the 91-year-old structure. Browning told the Bee that "Vernon Street is the city's main street so it's where all the parades are, the community gatherings and all that kind of stuff."

The ground floor is planned for sit-down dining. The rooftop is planned as a gathering and events space, and each level is planned to have a full bar. Reported rooftop capacity differs. The Bee and WhatNow Sacramento put it at up to 300, while ABC10 reported in June that Browning said it would seat around 200. Browning told the Bee that most of the cost and time went into structurally reinforcing the roof so people could gather on it. A second phase would turn the basement into a private event space.

The roof explains the schedule. The Bee reported that construction slowed because of design-approval problems with the rooftop and winter storms that caused water damage in parts of the old building. Here is how the published targets have changed this year:

The newest update, from the Downtown Roseville Partnership, says the restaurant is "putting the finishing touches" on the space before it announces a date. In the meantime, Old Town Pizza's own website still lists its current Roseville restaurant at 120 Church Street, open daily from 11 a.m. to 10 p.m.

Slice Beer Co. has a similar timeline. A 2019 profile said Slice was founded together with Old Town Pizza's ownership. In June, WhatNow Sacramento reported that Slice planned to open a Roseville taproom at 40 Atlantic Street in September. Slice's taproom page still lists only its Lincoln location. I found no confirmed opening date or posted hours for either space in anything published through September.

Who is carrying the block in the meantime

The newest business that is actually open on the street is The Daily Nosh at 105 Vernon Street, a breakfast and lunch restaurant run by co-owners Randy and Lisa Peters. Gold Mountain CA News reported that it held a ribbon cutting on June 18. Style Magazine's September review lists its hours as 7 a.m. to 3 p.m. Thursday through Monday, closed Tuesday and Wednesday, and notes that hours may change. The Downtown Roseville Partnership describes a shaded outdoor dining area with a large ceiling fan.

On September 24, The Daily Nosh started serving a fall cocktail list:

• Pecan Pie Old Fashioned, made with Larceny bourbon and pecan simple syrup and served with a bite of pecan pie
• Caramel Apple Spritz, topped with Prosecco and chilled with an apple cider ice cube
• Pumpkin Spiced Espresso Martini, made with nitro-poured Vaneli's cold brew and real pumpkin purée
• Hot Honey Pomegranate Paloma, made with fresh grapefruit juice and house-made citrus soda
• Witchy Brew, made with blackberry, vodka and limoncello and topped with huckleberry cider

The Monk's Cellar has a patio to the left of its big arched door, facing Vernon Street. The Fig Tree Coffee added four fall drinks: an Apple Crisp Steamer, a S'mores Mocha, a Perfect Pear Latte with maple and cinnamon, and a Harvest Matcha with pear and cardamom. Threads Clothing Exchange says it puts out more than 100 new pieces in the store every day.

Except for The Monk's Cellar, these are daytime businesses. The Daily Nosh closes at 3 p.m., and the rooftop planned to add evening seating across from the square had no opening date in the latest update. After dark, the square depends on scheduled events.

The calendar, from Halloween to the gingerbread houses

The city has encouraged more investment downtown this fall. In September it announced that applications would open in October for a downtown impact-fee credit worth up to $50,000 for eligible reinvestment projects. Most of the scheduled events below take place on the Town Square or close to it:

1. Friday, Oct. 16. The city holds Trunk 'r Treat and a Spooky Story Walk at Mahany Park.
2. Sunday, Oct. 18. The Floating Pumpkin Patch is at the Mike Shellito Indoor Pool. The same day, the Falling Leaf Food & Crafts Festival runs from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. with free entry and more than 100 vendors. Its organizer, Living Smart, moved it from Vernon Street Town Square to Maidu Park.
3. Thursday, Oct. 29. Family Fun Night brings trick-or-treating, vendors and food trucks downtown from 4 to 8 p.m., with live music on the main stage from 4 to 6 p.m. The costume contest has winners in five age groups, including a family category.
4. Thursday, Nov. 26. The Roseville Turkey Trot starts and finishes at Vernon Street Town Square. The 10K starts at 9 a.m. and the 5K at 9:05 a.m.
5. Wednesday, Dec. 2. The annual Tree Grove opens, and the Gingerbread House Contest entries go on display in the lobby of 316 Vernon Street through Dec. 11. Voting is also open online.
6. Thursday, Dec. 3. The free Christmas tree lighting on the square runs from 6 to 8 p.m., with cookie decorating, Santa and a kids' activity zone. The tree is lit at about 6:10 p.m.
7. Friday, Dec. 4. North Pole Tavern.

The tree lighting, the Turkey Trot and Family Fun Night all happen on the square, across the street from the post office. An Old Town Pizza opening before Dec. 3 would put rooftop seating directly above the tree lighting for the first time.

Before you head down

The Falling Leaf listing has a mistake to watch for. The notice at the top says the festival moved to Maidu Park, but the address field and the add-to-calendar links still show 311 Vernon Street. If you save it to your phone, change the location by hand. You can reach Living Smart at (916) 484-7000.

For the tree lighting, the city posts a parking map on its holiday celebration page. Check The Daily Nosh's hours before a weekday visit, since it is closed Tuesdays and Wednesdays. For Old Town Pizza and Slice Beer Co., the businesses themselves will announce opening dates. The Downtown Roseville Partnership reported in September that Old Town Pizza's latest social media post said the restaurant expects to open this fall.

At the post office, the delays came from the building itself. The Bee reported a roof that needed reinforcing before people could gather on it and storm damage to a structure that went up starting in the 1930s. If you're thinking about a home near downtown Roseville and want to talk through what nearby projects like this mean for timing and value, Samantha Gray can walk you through it. Schedule a consultation.