Melt Bar and Grilled shutting down in Short North after '9 great years'

COLUMBUS, Ohio (WCMH) - One of Melt Bar and Grilled's Columbus branches is no more, after the company's owner said Monday that a rising number of issues no longer made it sustainable.

Owner Matt Fish cited "very difficult staffing challenges" and "major cost increases" as two specific reasons why he made the decision to shut down the Short North location at 840 N. High St. It was the company's first location in Columbus and also the first store to expand outside of Cleveland.

"It's been nine great years in the Short North," Fish said. "It really helped Melt Bar and Grilled transform from a funky neighborhood place that served gourmet comfort food and great beer to a true restaurant group.”

Fish thanks all of the customers who visited the closing restaurant over the years. While the Short North location is gone for good, Melt Bar and Grilled has a second location in Columbus at 4206 Worth Ave. It and all of the other store locations in Ohio will stay open and are "doing well," according to the owner. Fish also wants to help with getting another restaurant to inherit the old Melt space.

"We are currently assisting our landlord in the search for a new tenant," Fish said. "A great Short North location like this deserves a great tenant and the space is available for lease.”

Anyone interested in more information about the space or closure can reach out to the company by email.