- Melton’s Event Center is now accepting reservations at 2546 Winfield Way NE in Canton.
- The event center replaced troubled bars that were known as Chivalry Bar & Billiards, Ruby Saloon, and Loop Cafe.
- Owner Jeffrey Melton has invested more than $150,000 in renovations.
CANTON – A former northeast Canton bar that drew police complaints has been reimagined and transformed into an elegant event space.
Melton’s Event Center is currently accepting reservations at 2546 Winfield Way NE, in a building known by various names over the years, including Chivalry Bar & Billiards, Ruby Saloon and Loop CafĂ©. The Ohio Liquor Commission ordered the bar’s liquor license to be renewed in 2018 after 75 calls were made to the bar in 2017 for disturbances such as fights, robberies, thefts and shootings. Rejected.
Jeffrey Melton, who has been investing in the Canton area for 30 years, bought the bar in August for $100,000. The New Philadelphia resident owned the property as a nightclub more than a dozen years ago.
“My nightclub days are over,” said Melton, who has owned 27 nightclubs. “This place had gotten a really bad reputation from the previous owner for being a nightclub, and I didn’t want that. I wanted to do something for the community. It wasn’t alcohol-based. …This way we can offer a beautiful place at such a low price, so I’m trying to give back.”
The before and after renovation photos are dramatic.
Chivalry Bar & Billiards was housed in a red brick building with a band of white paint. The dimly lit bar area features a dark brown lacquered bar, flat-screen TVs and drinks. The back room had wood floors, tan walls, a red pool table, neon signs, a drop ceiling, and a chalkboard wall for scorekeeping.
Now, all that remains of Chivalry is the bar itself, covered in chrome trim and painted black, and a beer tap that serves only as a nostalgic decoration.
Browns and tans are replaced by greys, whites, and silvers, creating a neutral, modern landscape that can be customized to suit a variety of tastes.
The exterior brick is painted dark gray, the windows and doors are painted black and decorated with black pediment decorative elements.
Melton’s interior features brushed nickel tin ceilings and light gray woodgrain floors throughout. Ornate chrome and crystal accent pieces bring elegance and warmth to a room with gray walls.
In the bar area, 12 black luxury velvet chairs, adorned with chrome lion head door knockers, line the bar. The back room has a large mirror on the wall, a small stage for the DJ, a chandelier, and a mirror ball. An ornate mantel with two silver and ivory throne chairs is free with the rental and is located in the lounge area just off the back room.
Melton, who renovated a historic bank building in New Philadelphia into a wedding venue, has worked more than 14 hours a day with another employee since Sept. 1 and invested more than $150,000 to complete the renovation. I estimate that it did. The parking lot is scheduled to be repaved and additional outdoor lighting installed in the spring.
Meltons accommodates small weddings and private parties
Colette Hunter, who runs event planning company Perfect 360, said Melton’s is perfect for small weddings and private parties celebrating milestones such as birthdays, births, anniversaries, holidays and graduations.
“Our main goal is to bring an elegant space to this area without breaking the bank,” said Hunter, who served as wedding coordinator at the Honest Hotel in downtown Canton.
The space can be rented for $1,500 for weddings or $700 for smaller events, and can accommodate up to 150 guests with standing room seating. The back room can accommodate 80 chairs for weddings, 40 on each side. Hunter said the back room can comfortably accommodate up to 60 people when tables are set up.
Hunter said the lounge area in the back room can accommodate about three round tables and can also be used as a photo booth area for VIPs and events.
Renters can provide their own caterer or choose from Hunter’s list of preferred vendors, some of which can provide a one-day liquor license if required. A commercial kitchen with a freezer is available for reheating food.
Hunter can also provide event planning and decoration services for an additional fee.
For more information about Melton’s Event Center, contact Hunter at 330-575-7726.
Contact Canton Repository staff writer Kelli Weir at 330-580-8339 or kelli.weir@cantonrep.com.