Deuces Market: a triple for this Napa couple
By Lisa Adams Walter
NAPA, Calif. — Wandering away from the main streets of downtown Napa can lead to the discovery of peaceful, pedestrian-only corridors and intimate alleyways dotted with restaurants, winery tasting rooms, boutiques and now a European-style retail-cafe-market spot.
Following the success of their 4-year-old mostly takeout dining establishment, The Dutch Door — which is located right off First Street — co-owners Mike Casey and Brent Pennington opened their third business this past May. Deuces Market, located in Suite 222 of the emerging First Street Napa outdoor mall, takes its name from the three twos in the address.
Patterned after the cafes and markets typically found in destinations such as Italy and France, Deuces Market is much more than a store. The owners have intentionally developed a community gathering place — a one-stop, flavor-filled shop that will meet multiple needs for locals and visitors alike.
“First Street Napa is more of a piazza, similar to a European destination such as Naples where you can hear music and sit for a while,” Casey said. “Soon there will be a pergola built right outside.”
The corridor is evolving into a more serene and peaceful part of downtown. A stroll through the area tempts one to meander, pause and reflect. A glance up from the front windows of Deuces Market provides a peek at the colorful umbrellas of the Archer Hotel Rooftop Bar.
Continuing the mission of their other two businesses, Pennington Provisions (a catering company) in addition to The Dutch Door, Casey and Pennington’s third endeavor is focused on fresh, local, sustainable and green artisan goods.
Extreme attention to detail, both in terms of interior decor and carefully selected products, is a trademark of Deuces Market. Handwritten shelf-talkers explain the unique character and reason for every item on the shelves.
Mostly healthy options as well as a few decadent treats are available for breakfast, lunch or a quick snack. Quinoa breakfast parfaits ($6.95), fresh summertime spring rolls from The Dutch Door, a savory turkey sandwich (organic turkey, pesto, avocado, spring mix, Point Reyes Toma cheese on an Acme bread slab — wraps and sandos range from $11.95 to $14.95), plus an array of homemade baked goods (market price) to enjoy onsite or grab and go, were available at a recent visit.
“Some of the baked goods are made by my mother, Donna,” Casey said. At that moment she was greeting customers at the counter.
“There really aren’t many new spaces downtown,” Casey said, so along with Pennington, a talented self-taught chef as well as his partner in business and in life, they worked with Todd Zapolski, a local developer known as the “father of First Street Napa” who has been instrumental in the redo of this part of town.
“The space has an industrial feel, including the roll-up ‘garage’ door,” Casey said, “But we were really able to make it our own.”
Inside feels bright and fresh. Stark modernism, dotted with antiques and luxurious 14-foot velvet sofas nod to a long-ago European past. Recent editions of Monacle, a magazine that covers global affairs and lifestyle, are available for patrons in the lounge to enjoy, adding to the international vibe.
The concept of Deuces is that you can pop in or stay for a while, depending on your preference. Come early for coffee or perhaps take a meeting and stay for lunch with the many fresh options ready to enjoy onsite or take to go. Come in the afternoon for people-watching, reading or working (the WiFi is free), and enjoy a glass of an interesting wine, an innovative premium canned beverage, fresh-pressed juice or artisan beer.
A quick look at the wines reveals a thought-provoking and eclectic array of price-friendly bottles procured by Casey, all appropriate to enjoy onsite, carry back to a hotel room or take home.
Casey said that while by-the-glass wines range from $10 to $16, bottles are competitively priced from $18 to $40.
“Nearly all of our wines are less than 500-case production, so they are true passion projects for each vintner,” he said. “You're not going to find these wines on supermarket shelves.”
This week a new lounge menu has been launched so that cheese and charcuterie boxes as well as some small bites can be ordered to enjoy with wine or beer (two beers are on tap and many others are available by the glass — $8).
In the future Casey plans to host “Weekly Pour” and “Meet the Maker” events when winemakers will come in and pour while they talk about the inspiration behind their wines. The star of the bar, however, is the high-tech Eversys gourmet coffee system that makes a perfect coffee beverage every time.
Casey described the “personalization” of the Eversys system that included a daylong experiment when signature Deuces Market beverages such as cappuccinos, Americanos, lattes and other coffee drinks were calibrated to match the coffee beans of their house brand, Equator coffee. It consistently delivers a perfect cup time after time.
Deuces Market is open six days a week at 7:30 a.m., with closing times usually at 6 or 7 p.m., except for Sunday, when they close at 3 p.m. The market is closed on Monday.
Wine events, happy hours, daily culinary surprises and more can be discovered on the shop’s Instagram page @deucesmarket, while more information can also be found at their website DeucesMarket.com.
Lisa Adams Walter is a writer, editor and publicist whose work has been published in media outlets locally and nationally. A Wine Country native, she brings insight to an array of wine, food, arts, entertainment and travel stories as well as lifestyle topics that include health, wellness and pets.
This sounds great!! Personally, I would love to linger in a location like you described. I wonder who might make the decision to put sun-shades over the walkway? If that area were shady it would be perfect!
Looking ford to going again! Nicely done story!