It often feels like Marin has it all — good food, epic views and a whole lot more of the things that make life great. And yet, complaints about the diminishing nightlife scene have persisted in certain pockets of the county. But it’s time to put those thoughts to rest and you can do so while pulling up to Mill Valley’s newest establishment, Corner Bar.
The brainchild of restaurant industry veterans Bill Higgins, Peter Schumacher and Jason Sims, Corner Bar is located at 106 Throckmorton in the heart of downtown Mill Valley, where Coho used to be and Vasco before it. When Coho closed its doors last year, these gentlemen got word that the prime location was available and soon everything was falling into place.
“I want this place to fit into the town just where it needs to be, not taking away from the other restaurants but adding to downtown,” says Sims. Schumacher adds, “We think it’s what people are looking for.” And that’s not just because of the friendly, neighborhood-bar-meets-cocktail-lounge vibes you’ll find inside, but also because Corner Bar’s hours run later than anywhere else in downtown Mill Valley. “It’s a place you can come to before a show at the Sweetwater, or after a movie,” says Higgins. “It’ll help fill in the gaps downtown.”
While the name suggests a charming simplicity, Corner Bar’s interiors reflect a sophisticated, vintage club-like ambience. Schumacher’s wife, Liz, partnered with Tim Dixon to take on the interior design process, gathering input from the three owners to create the unique aesthetic. A special touch is the mural inside, painted by Bay Area artist Caroline Lizarraga. It all makes for an environment that is full of character, the kind of place that you can’t help but look at as you walk by, soon finding yourself feeling drawn in. And once you’re in, you’ll find ample seating: there are stools at the bar (the best spot to tune into sporting events playing on the two TVs), long banquette seats along the walls, high-top chairs in the middle of the bar and cozy couches by the entrance.
And of course, there’s as much thought put into the drinks as there is into the design. Corner Bar’s libations offer enough to please the dive bar crowds as well as seekers of craft cocktails. “We want it to be a place for everybody,” says Higgins. It’s a spot for happy hour, date night or for anyone just looking to grab a drink in a place that’s comfortable but also buzzing with good energy. And if you’re wondering, yes, there is food; Chef Michael Siegel has created a menu of mostly shareable items, largely inspired by Mediterranean cuisine.
Above all, it’s the owners’ determination to create something that makes people happy and makes Mill Valley even better that sets the atmosphere here. Their mission statement calls it “a haven for friends (and soon to be friends) to gather.” We’ll see you there, friend.
