Since the beginning of the year, Melt locations have been dropping like flies. Now, we have learned that all but Lakewood will be closing.
The grilled cheese sandwich chain will be shutting the doors to its Akron and Mentor locations next month.
The Lakewood location will remain open until Sept. 1, when it will close for a week for renovations.
The closures come as the restaurant filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy last month.
RELATED: Melt Bar & Grilled files Chapter 11 bankruptcy in hopes of slashing its debts
The bankruptcy filing says Melt has more than 100 creditors and estimated liabilities of just over $1 million to $10 million. But the company has only $500,001 to $1 million in assets.
Court documents tell the story of aggressive growth cut short by the pandemic.
Melt founder Matt Fish opened his first restaurant in Lakewood in 2006. The hulking sandwiches, fries and slaw quickly gained a devoted following. National TV hosts traveled to Northeast Ohio to conquer the 5-pound Melt Challenge, stuffed with 13 kinds of cheese.
The business expanded to Cleveland Heights in 2010 and then went on a growth binge. By 2017, Melt had 13 locations – some company-operated, some through licensing deals – and more than 350 employees.
Then the pandemic hit, forcing restaurants to shut their doors and shift to take-out and delivery for months.
Court records show Melt owes $1.8 million on loans from Huntington Bank. The list of debts also shows $1.7 million in rent. Some of those rent payments are the subjects of litigation between Melt and its former landlords.
