The nearly 100-year-old Twin Oaks Tavern in Penngrove has been purchased by HopMonk Tavern owner Dean Biersch. The co-founder of Gordon Biersch Brewing Company and restaurants and HopMonk Taverns.
Biersch takes over the roadhouse property from music booking agent Sheila Groves-Tracey and her business partners, who purchased Twin Oaks in 2013.
“In my mind the Twin Oaks is a ‘heritage’ hospitality site – one of the last roadhouse, tavern, honky-honks on the Old Redwood Highway,” said Biersch, reached by phone.
He plans to keep the name and ambiance that Twin Oaks Tavern (5745 Old Redwood Hwy, Penngrove) is known for while renovating and upgrading the space to include a new dance floor, expanded outdoor patio, and new kitchen. A licensing change will allow for families and children to enter the tavern to eat. Another major draw includes a lineup of 16 draft beers.
“It’s been running for 91-years continually, and that’s pretty cool. I’ve never considered (making it) another HopMonk,” he said. “Our biggest focus is to be a part of this great property, close to other craft breweries in Petaluma with a great beer, music and bar atmosphere,” Biersch added. He is co-owner of three HopMonk Taverns in Sebastopol, Sonoma and Novato.
Groves-Tracey will stay on to book the musical acts which include R&B, soul, classic rock, blues and bluegrass musicians. She previously booked musical talent for Petaluma’s Mystic Theater and in 2013 for Napa’s Bottlerock.
“She’s a booking legend north of the Golden Gate,” said Biersch. When Groves-Tracey and her partners purchased the tavern, they did some minor upgrades, but most notably added a music lineup that’s reinvigorated the historic property once a favorite with local ranchers. “We brought back the cowboy vibe,” she said.
Though Groves-Tracey declined to disclose the terms of the sale, she said that Biersch had approached her with interest in buying the bar. “The timing was right, the person was right, and Dean is a perfect fit to take Twin Oaks to the next level,” she said. “We brought it back to life, but now he can take it further. I’m really excited to see what he does,” she added.
The roadhouse is slated to close temporarily in late January 2016 for the initial remodel, re-opening in the spring, according to Biersch. Other upgrades will happen incrementally, he said.
“We may paint, but we’ll never change the neon or anything else about the classic exterior,” said Biersch, “We just want to make sure we’re stewarding this great property.”
The remodel looks great. Hope they put decor back on the walls so it isn’t so stark. I also don’t think children belong at night with the bands. There isn’t enough room for the adults who dance much less have to watch for children.
As much as I love Twin Oaks and Hopmonk, the idea of opening up the bar area to children and young families is just wrong!
Families and children have taken over Lagunitas… Adults want a bar
to share with other adults.
It would be nice to see the propeller and plaque in honor of Junior Green hung back up on the wall.
Excellent news, but does this mean that stuff like a grilled cheese sandwich with a couple of chips will cost $18?
Twin oaks has since Shelia owned it in my opinion turned into the best bar club dance bar for grown ups anywhere north of the bridge. Hopman purchase when age change takes place will completely destroy what it is now. Good for a younger not so pleasant crowd for your late 30s up crowd that now makes up the demographic. Just what we need another bar for the 21 to 30 group. Very disappointing to soon have another hopmonk in just another city. Leave food places for kids that and dancing booze places for grown ups just that please.
All sounds good to me !!! Love The Oak and Hopmonk Seb. Best to all involved and keep on rocking’….and two stepping’…and all the other good stuff.
As long as they don’t start catering to the craft beer sipping man bun in sandals. That place is a honkey tonkin trucker/biker bar and should remain as such.
Yeah, you should check people’s Duck Dynasty fan club membership at the door.
Congratulations Sheila!!!
You really made the Twin Oaks come alive again adding a whole new clientele to enjoy the unique setting and vibe that now exists there. A neighborhood tavern to gather with friends without the drama of a hard drinking bar. Enjoy the next phase of your life. You have our support in all you do.
Atta Boy Deano!!
So glad Sheila gets to stay booking! We’re not the genre that does well at either Hopmonk or Twin Oaks, but it is still nice that such a true professional like Sheila can stay booking music!
This is great news! I love the Twin Oaks Tavern, and I love the Hopmonk. As long as they maintain their separate personalities in their separate places, this is a wonderful move by Dean Biersch, and a great sigh of relief for those of us who want to see Twin Oaks stick around for another several decades.