Old Town Pizza’s new location is seen under construction at the former Post Office at 320 Vernon St. in downtown Roseville on Friday, March 20, 2026. The local chain is transforming the 91-year-old building into a three-level restaurant and entertainment space as part of an $8 million project expected to open by August.
Nicole Buss
nicole.buss@sacbee.com
Old Town Pizza has spent a decade trying to secure a foothold in downtown Roseville. Now, the local chain is preparing to anchor itself in one of the city’s most visible — and long-dormant — building.
But it will take a little longer than expected — with a slated open date now set for August.
At 320 Vernon St., construction crews are transforming Roseville’s former post office into a three-level restaurant and rooftop bar, a project that Old Town Pizza founder Reese Browning said will bring new life to a property that has sat largely unused since the U.S. Postal Service left in 2020.
The move marks a shift not just in geography, but in identity. Old Town Pizza, long associated with Roseville’s bar district and more traditional offerings, is moving into the city’s civic core — directly across from City Hall and Vernon Street Town Square — with a larger, more ambitious concept.
“It really couldn’t be better being directly across from City Hall,” Browning said. “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. So it couldn’t be a better location.”
The building itself carried decades of history.
Constructed in phases between the 1930s and 1960s, it had once been central to daily life in Roseville before becoming a lingering redevelopment question for city leaders. The city purchased the half-acre site in 2010, envisioning a dense, six-story mixed-use project with a hotel, housing, retail and a rooftop restaurant. That plan ultimately fell through when developers determined the site could not support the scale.
“It was purchased by a developer that would do Roseville’s vision. About five or so years into their project, they told the city they couldn’t do it,” he said. “It wouldn’t pencil. It didn’t make any sense, and they were going to sell the property.”
For Browning, the scaled-back reality created an opening for his business, saying the location was central to the vision.
“We always wanted to be in the old historic downtown areas, which were close to now in our location, but not right on main street. So we inquired about the property again, and they said ‘yes, we’d be happy to have you do it this time’,” he said.
Browning said acquiring the property had been a 10-year pursuit for the company, which also operates locations in Auburn and Lincoln. The chain ultimately purchased the building for $1.75 million, part of an $8 million investment to reimagine the 91-year-old structure.
What emerges will be designed to be both familiar and expanded, Browning said.
The ground floor is envisioned around a traditional sit-down dining experience. Above it, a rooftop level — expected to seat up to 300 people — is designed as a gathering space, with views and an atmosphere tailored for events and nightlife. Each level would include a full bar, a notable evolution for a brand that had historically focused on beer and wine.
“Generally, we’ve only been a beer and wine company, but we’ve added full liquor to our Roseville location,” Browning said.
The transformation has not been without setbacks. Construction began roughly a year ago but slowed due to design approval challenges tied to the rooftop and winter storms that caused water damage to parts of the aging structure. Even so, Browning said the project was now on track for an August opening.
Browning said the project cost comes mostly from the rooftop experience that they are creating.
“The vast majority of the money and time that it takes to renovate the property was to structurally reinforce the roof so that we could have people up there,” he said.
Browning said a second phase is already planned. After opening, the basement — another underutilized portion of the building — is expected to be converted into a private event space, Browning said.
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Nicole Buss is The Sacramento Bee’s Roseville/Placer County watchdog reporter. She previously covered Placer County at Gold Country Media. Buss grew up in Lincoln and is a graduate of Sierra College and Arizona State University.