Natural wine and pop-up dining spot in Virgil Village to cease operations permanently
Melody Wine Bar and Restaurant, a beloved establishment in East Hollywood, will be closing its doors permanently on July 12. The closure comes after a series of economic and social challenges that have affected the venue's ability to remain viable.
Owner Eric Tucker revealed that Melody started to see a decline in business during the Hollywood strikes in 2023, reducing local foot traffic and industry patronage. The aftermath of the January wildfires, increased political tension, and the high cost of living in Los Angeles further eroded the business's financial stability.
Tucker, who opened Melody with his ex-wife Paloma Rabinov in 2017, initially offered a typical dinner service with a California- and French-inspired menu. However, due to financial struggles, Melody shifted to a rotating pop-up format, hosting different chefs for days and weeks at a time.
During its "golden years," Melody was known for its carefree, communal spirit. Customers would often drink bottles of wine in the parking lot while waiting for hours to get in, turning every night into a "party." Princie Kim, a longtime Melody customer and local wine industry worker, spoke about the relaxed, human, and raw atmosphere of the bar-restaurant, saying it was a formative place for her to taste various wines.
In an effort to preserve Melody's unique spirit, Tucker will temporarily reopen the space on July 16, calling it "Bar Band-Aid." During this period, Melody will feature different food options each day, including pizzas served by Tucker under his pop-up alter ego Ugly Pie, burgers and fried chicken from Little Piggy, and dishes from Hancock Park butcher shop Standing's Butchery.
Tucker hopes to leave Melody's legacy as an inclusive environment that exposed diners to new foods and unique wines, sourced entirely from low-intervention natural wines from all over the world. After the temporary reopening, Tucker plans to leave Los Angeles and possibly return to New York.
As Melody prepares for its final days, Tucker remains uncertain about the duration of the temporary reopening. However, he is committed to ensuring that the bar-restaurant goes out with the same carefree, communal spirit that made it a cherished part of the East Hollywood community.
- After confronting economic and social challenges, including the Hollywood strikes in 2023 and the aftermath of the January wildfires, the beloved Melody Wine Bar and Restaurant in East Hollywood will be permanently closing its doors on July 12.
- Owner Eric Tucker, who opened Melody with his ex-wife Paloma Rabinov in 2017, initially offered a typical dinner service with a California- and French-inspired menu, but had to shift to a rotating pop-up format due to financial struggles.
- In its "golden years," Melody was known for its carefree, communal spirit, where customers would drink bottles of wine in the parking lot while waiting for hours to get in, turning every night into a "party."
- Tucker plans to temporarily reopen Melody as "Bar Band-Aid" on July 16, featuring different food options each day, including pizzas from Ugly Pie, burgers and fried chicken from Little Piggy, and dishes from Standing's Butchery.
- Tucker aims to preserve Melody's unique spirit and legacy as an inclusive environment that exposed diners to new foods and unique wines, sourced entirely from low-intervention natural wines from all over the world, before leaving Los Angeles and possibly returning to New York.
