"We are not restaurateurs," Andrew Floor, Redwood Empire's vice president of marketing, told the Vallejo Sun on September 29. He was explaining why the whiskey distillery is closing the Redwood Empire Bar and Eatery at 1095 Nimitz Ave on October 4. He also said something more useful for anyone who spends weekends on Mare Island. The company hopes to reopen daily for drop-in visits "when there is more foot traffic in Mare Island." Until then it will take reservations only.
That condition matters this month because walking onto the island is about to get harder. The day after the bar closes, the City of Vallejo closes the Mare Island Causeway Bridge to pedestrians and cyclists for almost three weeks. What stays open without a booking is mostly a short stretch of Walnut Avenue near Officers Row: a coffee house, a winery tasting room, a chapel with a few open afternoons, and a Halloween block party. The Coal Shed brewery on Nimitz Avenue fills out the list. This October, those blocks are where the island's foot traffic happens.
The Nimitz Avenue Bar Goes Dark on Sunday
Redwood Empire's bar had a short run. The distillery opened the bar and eatery in May 2025 to build community. According to Floor, within a year the restaurant was pulling resources away from the core business of making whiskey. The closure affects seven employees. It also ends a venue that had picked up regulars, including the well-attended drag shows run by Ariel Fantasea.
The distillery itself isn't leaving. Redwood Empire started in Graton in 2015. In 2025 it bought Savage & Cooke's distillery on Mare Island and moved production there, going from four barrels a day to 14. Starting October 5, the way in is a reserved 90-minute tour. It covers the barrel room, the production room and the rooftop balcony, then ends with a guided tasting of six whiskies. A blending masterclass with master blender Lauren Patz is on the calendar for November.
The Mare Island Company's Wet Mile page still lists the bar and its old drop-in hours. The September 29 closure report replaces that listing.
Nineteen Days Without a Footpath
The City's September 23 safety notice gives firm dates. From October 5 through October 23, 2026, the causeway is closed to pedestrians and bicyclists, and so are the trails underneath it. An earlier September 14 update had tentatively set the window at October 1 through 16. The newer notice is the one to follow.
The reason for the closure is the materials. Crews are applying polyester concrete and methacrylate to the bridge deck. The City describes both as carcinogenic, with a strong, sharp odor that can cause headaches, nausea, and irritation of the eyes, skin or respiratory system. Drivers can still use the bridge throughout.
For drivers, though, the bridge only works one way. The City's project page says the single open lane carries westbound traffic toward Mare Island. Eastbound traffic leaving the island has to use Highway 37 through March 31, 2027. As of the September 14 update, the repair was about 68 percent complete, with completion still expected in March 2027. Work had slowed earlier because California Black Rail, a threatened species, were nesting nearby. Crews went back to full operations once nesting season ended. The new sidewalk is finished, and the City says the bridge logo will go up in late November or early December.
Neither the City notice nor the ferry terminal information mentions a shuttle or a dedicated detour for people on foot or bike during the closure.
What You Can Still Walk Into
During the closure, "walk-in" means you arrive by car or ferry and then walk once you're on the island. Most of the drop-in options sit within a few addresses of each other on Walnut Avenue. The Coal Shed is the main exception, on Nimitz.
| Place | Address | Posted hours | Note |
|---|---|---|---|
| The Quarters Coffee House | 1015 Walnut Ave | Mon–Fri 7 a.m.–3 p.m.; Sat–Sun 8 a.m.–2 p.m. | Hours from its own site |
| Vino Godfather | 1005 Walnut Ave | Thu–Sun noon–7 p.m.; walk-ins welcome | Hours page dates to January 2025, so confirm before going |
| Mare Island Brewing Co. Coal Shed Brewery | 850 Nimitz Ave | Wed–Sat 11:30 a.m.–9 p.m.; Sun 11:30 a.m.–8:30 p.m.; closed Mon–Tue | Brewery site lists 8:30 p.m. Sunday close; the Wet Mile page says 6 p.m. |
| St. Peter's Chapel | 1181 Walnut Ave | Self-guided open hours Oct. 11 and Oct. 25, 11 a.m.–2 p.m. | Dates can shift for private rentals |
| Shoreline Heritage Preserve | South end of the island | City lists 6:30 a.m.–7:30 p.m. daily | City page still carries 2020-era text; entry capped at 50 people and 30 vehicles |
The Quarters and Vino Godfather are next door to each other at 1005 and 1015 Walnut. Between them they cover a weekend from morning coffee to an evening pour. Vino Godfather's own events calendar lists October 2026 events at the Walnut Avenue address, so the winery is active even though its visit page is older.
A few places don't fit the drop-in plan this month. The Mare Island Museum at 1100 Railroad Ave is listed as temporarily closed, with tours by appointment. Alden Park is part of the Mare Island Historic Park Foundation's historic walk, but every public tour requires a reservation. Mare Island Brewing's Ferry Taproom isn't on the island. It's at 289 Mare Island Way on the mainland waterfront and open daily 11:30 a.m. to 9 p.m. During the closure it's the brewery's walk-in location for anyone on foot.
The Walnut Avenue Calendar, Week by Week
Mare Island's October events are concentrated around St. Peter's Chapel and Officers Row. Two of the biggest dates fall on either side of the footpath closure.
- Saturday, Oct. 3. Vallejo Fest runs 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. at Barbara Kondylis Waterfront Green, 301 Mare Island Way, on the mainland. It has whaleboat races, a car show, music, food and art.
- Sunday, Oct. 4. This is the bar's last day at Redwood Empire. The Mare Island Historic Park Foundation hosts "Mare Island Birds of Prey" from 3 to 4:30 p.m. at St. Peter's Chapel.
- Monday, Oct. 5. The causeway closes to pedestrians and cyclists.
- Sunday, Oct. 11. St. Peter's Chapel is open for self-guided visits, 11 a.m. to 2 p.m.
- Friday, Oct. 23. This is the last scheduled day of the footpath closure.
- Saturday, Oct. 24. At 3 p.m., the foundation's Speaker Series presents "Haunted Mare Island" at St. Peter's Chapel. From 4 to 8 p.m., the Mare Island Company hosts its Halloween Block Party along Walnut Avenue and Officers Row.
- Sunday, Oct. 25. St. Peter's Chapel holds its second October open-hours window, 11 a.m. to 2 p.m.
October 24 has the most going on. The block party is free with an RSVP, and it's set up around the same blocks as the coffee house and winery. Entrances are near the Vino Godfather Mansion and Alden Park, which gets new zombie-themed activities this year. Kids get trick-or-treating, pumpkin decorating and face painting, and trick-or-treaters 13 and under get a goodie bag while supplies last. There's also a "Howl-o-ween" costume contest for dogs, plus food trucks and hot chocolate. Sources list different street numbers on Walnut Avenue for the event. The Officers Row stretch is the place to aim for.
Barring delays, the causeway footpath reopens the day before the Halloween party. That means foot and bike traffic can come back in time for the island's busiest evening of the month.
Getting There Without the Footpath
For anyone without a car between October 5 and 23, the San Francisco Bay Ferry is the option to check. The Mare Island terminal is at 1050 Nimitz Ave, and it lists no connecting transit service. Only some Vallejo-route sailings stop at Mare Island. The posted timetable is marked effective March 9, 2026, so check the live schedule and service alerts before planning a weekend around it. One-way fares between San Francisco and Vallejo are $10, effective July 1, 2026. The ferry recently showed it can handle a crowd. For the 20th-anniversary Maker Faire Bay Area at the shipyard on September 26 and 27, it added free Vallejo–Mare Island shuttle trips.
Drivers coming from Highway 37 can use the Mare Island/Walnut Avenue exit, which the Mare Island Company recommends. That exit lets out near the Walnut Avenue cluster. On the way out, use Highway 37 eastbound, since the causeway's one open lane only runs onto the island.
Redwood Empire has said what it needs before it reopens for drop-ins, which is more people on Mare Island. This month, the posted hours and event dates put most of the island's walk-in activity on Walnut Avenue, and the October 24 block party is when it peaks.
Mare Island this October shows how quickly local details change: a bar closing, a footpath shut for three weeks, two different Sunday closing times for the same brewery. Agents who keep track of this street-level detail earn trust in their market. If you're that kind of agent and want your own name on the business, Merge Real Estate handles the compliance, E&O and transaction coordination behind it. Launch Your Brand with Merge.
