Melrose Cafe Closes after 23 Years and Focuses on Casino Location

Melrose Café and Bar abruptly closed the doors of its Red Mile venue after 23 years of business last Sunday. However, its owners now plan to focus on the smaller venue already established in the Cowboys Casino location.

After becoming a predominant landmark on Calgary’s Red Mile on the 17th avenue strip for over 20 years, the time has come for Melrose Café and Bar to shut up shop.

Locals have been shocked by the abruptness of the closure, especially since the iconic venue didn’t even host a farewell party for fans of the eatery, but its owners wanted to close their doors quietly.

Melrose Cafe and Bar abruptly closes down and shifts focus to casino location

Although, Melrose Café’s smaller venue in the Las-Vegas style Cowboys Casino complex plans to remain open.

Due to relaxed Canadian gambling laws, casinos in the country have seen a growth in popularity over the years, with Cowboys Casino being no exception.

The decision to close the original venue to focus on the secondary location near the Canadian poker rooms was simply a personal one.

“It’s just been 23 years and it’s just time,” said the venue’s marketing manager Tony Johanson, who says the owners simply “wanted to close this chapter and move forward.”

While a few of the staff members from the Red Mile location will be moved into the casino, the Cowboys venue is smaller, so some of its staff will be made redundant, but have all been paid, according to Johanson.