Trail House a new hangout in Santa Rosa for bicyclists, runners, hikers

Ever wish you could finish a 10-mile run or a long bike ride and have your favorite cold craft beer just waiting at the end of the trail?

The freshly opened Trail House is the next best thing. Nestled on Montgomery Drive around the corner from Howarth Park, the multifaceted coffeehouse/bike shop/craft beer bar is quickly becoming a popular new watering hole for locals.

“If anything it’s a throwback to what Sonoma County used to be,” said Brian Finnerty, a Healdsburg resident and avid mountain biker who frequents Trail House. “It’s a public house that is truly a public house - it’s a place for everybody to go and feel welcome.”

It’s for a community of people who always wanted a Trail House, a community extending far beyond road cyclists, tribal mountain bikers, trail running junkies and weekend warrior hikers. The real Trail House crowd? Anyone with a hankering taste for sunshine.

“My favorite things about it are the location of it and the purpose it serves at the start or end of the ride as a beer hangout or coffeehouse,” said Forrest Johnson, a mountain biker from Santa Rosa. “We haven’t had anything like it, and the vibe is very welcoming.”

The two men behind Trail House - Shane Bresnyan and Glenn Fant - have long been in the bike business. Fant owns two Santa Rosa bike shops, NorCal Bike Sport and The Bike Peddler, while Bresnyan used to manage one of the stores. Fittingly, the idea for Trail House was born during bike rides they took together.

“Sometimes we’d want to go get a beer after a long ride in Annadel and we’d find ourselves in the alley by the liquor store in Montgomery Village, and we knew there had to be something better,” said Bresnyan, who is the general manager of Trail House. “Sonoma County and our community deserves better, and that’s why this place came to be.”

For anyone who has a love affair with the collective trifecta of Howarth, Spring Lake and Trione-?Annadel state parks, Trail House creates a unique appeal for locals by packaging all of their park nostalgia into a building upgraded with a retro-modern feel.

A giant map of Annadel hangs on one wall. Reclaimed wood fashioned into tree trunks on two posts in the center of the room stretches up to form branches on the ceiling. The long wooden tables were made by hand. Local beers, including brews from Russian River and Henhouse, are served on taps fashioned out of recycled skateboards.

“We have a great list of locally spun brews,” said Bresnyan.

Espresso from San Francisco’s Sightglass Coffee will satisfy any caffeine addict. A small circular spot in the center marks the latitudinal and longitudinal coordinates of the building’s location.

“When I cross that spot, I’m done with my ride,” said Bresnyan.

Running groups from local stores Fleet Feet Sports and Healdsburg Running Company have also used the Trail House as a post-run treat.

“Trail House gives me a place I can change out of wet, sweaty clothes to recharge and relax after a run in Annadel,” said John Martin, who participates in a weekend Fleet Feet trail running group. “They don’t look at me funny when I come in with muddy legs.”

Aside from the landing strip it creates for those wrapping up a workout, the beauty of the shop is its lack of pretense.

“It takes down walls, grays the lines and gets people to come together,” said Johnson. “Biking is the backbone of it, but it also brings in people who had no intentions of getting active - finding themselves unintentionally getting active.”

It’s a new twist on bicycle retail, said Bresnyan. Instead of being a bike shop offering a beer, it’s a taproom offering bikes. It’s also a wifi hot spot, and a quick replacement for a home office or even a place to write an English essay.

“I go there to do homework every week. It’s got a really mellow and chill vibe,” said Duncan Nason, a 17-year-old mountain biker who rides pro for Team Yeti/Fox while balancing schoolwork as a high school junior. “It fits into any type of person, plus it’s a fun place to hang out for a little bit and meet new people.”

The shop also offers bike parking, bike accessories and in-house bike repair. If you’re running late to work after a longer run or ride, future memberships will also include use of the dorm-style shower and bike storage. When summer months hit, guided rides will be offered to those looking to dabble in riding for the first time. Tourists can also get bike routes from staff members.

“They have captured a different and rad vibe of the community experience,” said Finnerty. “It’s positive for the community and Santa Rosa as a whole.”

Melody Karpinski is the marketing manager for Fleet Feet Sports Santa Rosa and writes a monthly running column for The Press Democrat. Contact her at melody@fleetfeetsantarosa.com.