LAKEWOOD, Ohio — In a statement addressing the future of Melt Bar and Grilled in Northeast Ohio, owner Matt Fish has announced the locations in Akron and Mentor will close permanently next month.
“This decision was very difficult to make on a personal and professional level,” Fish said in a Facebook post Monday morning. “Operating multiple locations is unfortunately not sustainable for the immediate or long-term future. This difficult decision was made to ensure Melt Bar and Grilled will continue and succeed with a much smaller footprint.”
MELT CLOSURE DETAILS
Mentor location: 7289 Mentor Ave.
- Last day of operations is Sunday, Aug. 11
Akron location: 3921 Medina Road
- Las day of operations is Sunday, Aug. 25
Fish says the company is shifting more of its focus on the original Melt Bar and Grilled restaurant in Lakewood, which will remain open.
FULL STATEMENT ON THE FUTURE OF MELT BAR AND GRILLED
The following message was shared by Fish on Melt's Facebook page:
Hello Friends and Family,
This is Matt Fish the owner of Melt Bar and Grilled. To say 2024 has been a crazy and turbulent year would be a huge understatement. I greatly appreciate everyone who has supported us through the last 18 years and the many changes this year. All has led up to some very big plans to positively change Melt Bar and Grilled for the future. These positive changes include many updates and improvements at our original flagship location in Lakewood, Ohio. Often with positive change, there can be some disappointment. In August we will unfortunately see two more Melt Bar and Grilled locations close.
The Mentor and Akron locations will permanently close in August 2024. This will allow us to focus on the original flagship location in Lakewood, Ohio which will remain open. We look forward to seeing all our guests in Mentor and Akron before we say goodbye.
This decision was very difficult to make on a personal and professional level. Operating multiple locations is unfortunately not sustainable for the immediate or long-term future. This difficult decision was made to ensure Melt Bar and Grilled will continue and succeed with a much smaller footprint.
• The Mentor location (7289 Mentor Ave) last day of operations will be Sunday, August 11th
• The Akron location (3921 Medina Road) last day of operations will be Sunday, August 25th
• The Lakewood location (14718 Detroit Ave) will operate as the current Melt Bar and Grilled through Sunday, September 1st. The location will temporarily close for 7-days beginning Monday, September 2nd. During the temporary closure there are many renovations planned that will affect all aspects of the location and brand. Updates and improvements are planned for the menu, food & drink quality/selection, service levels, atmosphere/décor and branding. Additionally, I will be returning to the location full time with my select key staff to operate the new and improved Lakewood location.
The grand re-opening of Melt Bar and Grilled Lakewood will be Monday, September 9th, 2024. Melt Bar and Grilled is 18 years old in 2024. We do not plan to change our core values or attitude. However, it is time for the brand to mature, get a bit more polished and positively upgrade our offerings and standards. This is a welcomed opportunity for us to improve all aspects of what made Melt Bar and Grilled great originally. More information regarding what guests can expect will be released in the weeks to come. I look forward to sharing the positive changes and improvements with everyone.
All Melt Bar and Grilled gift cards, Big Cheese Club points and Melt Tattoo Family VIP discounts will continue to be honored at all locations through August 2024. Gift cards, frequent dining points and the Melt Tattoo Family will continue to be welcomed at the updated Lakewood location after September 9th, 2024.
The Melt University location at CWRU and Melt Ballpark location at Progressive Field will remain open.
Please contact info@meltbarandgrilled.com with any questions or inquires
Thank you for the tremendous support,
Matt Fish
Melt Bar and Grilled
Owner / Founder
BANKRUPTCY, LAWSUITS AND PREVIOUS CLOSURES
These new closures come just weeks after 3News reported last month that Melt Bar and Grilled had filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy.
Our news partners at Cleveland.com, meanwhile, also recently reported that Melt was at the center of several lawsuits alleging unpaid rent.
Multiple Melt Bar and Grilled locations closed earlier this year, including the restaurant at Cedar Point, which shuttered before the park opened for the 2024 season.
MELT'S HISTORY
The original Melt Bar and Grilled first opened its doors in Lakewood back in 2006 with buzz swirling about their quirky spin on gourmet grilled cheese sandwiches -- including the Parmageddon, which includes two potato and cheese pierogi, vodka kraut, sauteed onions and cheddar cheese.
Melt also captured national attention throughout the years.
Adam Richman dropped by the Lakewood restaurant for an episode of Man vs. Food where he faced the "Melt challenge" to see if he could eat a monstrous sandwich featuring 14 different cheeses.
Guy Fieri sampled some of the eats -- including the Parmageddon -- on Diners, Drive-ins and Dives.
The company expanded to various markets -- including Canton and Columbus -- but all of those locations have since closed.