Beloved Sandwich Chain Abruptly Shutters Last Location and Holds Its Own "Wake"
After almost two decades of trying to keep its head above water, a popular sandwich chain is waving the white flag and shutting down permanently. Melt Bar and Grilled, featured on Diners, Drive-Ins and Dives with Guy Fieri, enjoyed a cult following since opening in 2006 in Lakewood, Ohio. After 19 years, 13 locations, and one bankruptcy, the fancy sandwich chain is closing down for good—and having a "wake."
"This decision was not made lightly or without years of incredible efforts and stress," owner Matt Fish said in an announcement on Facebook. "The process to save Melt Bar and Grilled started in 2020. The world and the restaurant/service industry changed drastically during the pandemic. Hundreds of difficult decisions and countless efforts were made to put the company in a position to survive and thrive. Unfortunately, these determined efforts were not enough to save the company."
Even after downsizing from 13 locations to just four, the chain was still struggling financially, and the difficult decision was made to file for bankruptcy. "In just over 2 years we pulled every lever possible to save the company," Fish said. "Closed 12 locations, trimmed our staff and corporate team down and reduced or eliminated as many expenses as possible. One of the final levers to pull was the Chapter 11 sub 5 bankruptcy we filed in June of 2024… The financial burden of bankruptcy, combined with the lack of robust sales have proved to be completely devastating."
In honor of their years together, Fish announced a "celebration of life" for the last location standing in Lakewood. "We are holding a Melt Garage Sale / Memorial / Celebration of Life the weekend of January 17, 18 & 19. 12pm-6pm each day. We will be selling decorative items, apparel, merchandise, serving ware, and small wares. The bar will be open for beer and cocktails. We invite you to stop in and have a last drink with us, while you peruse for your favorite decoration or framed picture… Thank you for the support over the years."
The chain previously offered a 25% discount for any customers who got a Melt-themed tattoo—and those guests are determined to keep their body art in honour of the chain. "I know some people are probably like, 'That's goofy, I don't know why I did it,'" Chase Christie of Wooster told News 5 Cleveland. "But, like, I said, I'm no stranger to silly tattoos myself, so I think it's got a nice little charm to it. I think it's great. I show it off daily still."
Fans of the sandwich chain left messages for the restaurant via Google Reviews. "I'm saddened to hear of the closing of this chain," one customer said. "I've only eaten at the Columbus Ohio locations. I write this review to encourage the owners (Matt Fish) in that in years past every time I visited Ohio I had to get a sandwich from this place. The Big Popper, Cleveland Cheesesteak, and the decor and vibe of these places were always unique and cool. I truly hope this isn't the end of Melt. Sometimes in life we just need to hit a reset button on our businesses. I pray and send good vibes to Matt and the employees during the difficult decision to cease operations.
¡Viva Melt!🥪"
And if you enjoyed this article, don't miss 15 Restaurant Chains Facing Bankruptcy In 2024.
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