Melt Closes Independence Store, Reducing Number of Full-Service Shops to Four

It's been a brutal 13 months for Melt Bar & Grilled. In early 2023, owner Matt Fish and his team made the difficult decision to close the Canton and Dayton locations, stating that as the newest and farthest shops, the move made the most sense as the chain sought to cut costs amid troubling financial headwinds. Last month, it was the Avon store that got the pink slip, closing after seven years.

Yesterday, the company announced the closure of the Independence location, which was store number three when it opened nearly 15 years ago. This most recent closure brings the total number of full-service restaurants down to four, which join quick-serve and seasonal satellites at Progressive Field and Cedar Point.

These closures point to the continuing challenges mid-market restaurant owners are facing. Fish recently outlined some of those struggles in a statement.

“Navigating the restaurant industry in the post-pandemic world with growing economic issues is becoming more and more difficult,” Fish said. "The world and the industry are rapidly changing around us.. We realized in early 2023, a smaller restaurant group would be much better for us to manage regarding operations and guest experience, while setting ourselves up for future success.”

Speaking with Scene, Fish added, "We're living in a new world right now and we've got to make some unfortunate sacrifices to make sure that we stay successful."

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