“This place was packed,” Childers said. “I don’t know how they did it.”
Credit: Natalie Jones
Credit: Natalie Jones
As the restaurant celebrates 60 years, providing a good experience that makes their customers “feel good” remains at the forefront.
“We have some wonderful help, but the main thing we have is wonderful customers,” Childers said. “They come back all the time.”
From Kentucky to Ohio
Childers is originally from Paintsville, Ky — where his parents owned a small grocery store that had a little bit of everything.
“My dad got laid off at the railroad in eastern Kentucky,” Childers said. “They were up here visiting. Mom had two sisters. Dad had one sister that lived in Fairborn.”
While his parents were here, they discovered a store for sale on Funderburg Road in Fairborn. They bought it in 1954 and moved their family here. Childers was 12 years old.
“One day, as people used to do, they drove by here going to pay a bill in-person in New Carlisle. There was a building being built,” Childers said. “Mom started getting this idea...”
He described his mom as a “business woman” and his dad as a “hard worker.”
Credit: Natalie Jones
Credit: Natalie Jones
They had stopped by the restaurant at 2350 S. Dayton-Lakeview Road to check out the space. Former owner Bob Peebles had been planning to open it up as the Mel-O-Dee Restaurant, after operating one in Wilmington, or sell it altogether.
“He had already put the sign up (and) had the menus ordered,” Childers said.
With no restaurant experience, the Childers bought it in May 1965 and relied on Sarah’s sister, Nina Hart, who had worked at Wright-Patterson Air Force Base as a restaurant manager.
“In a couple years, they had another one in Fairborn and then had another one in Enon that my sister ran with mom,” Childers said.
As for the Fairborn store, the couple turned it into an IGA and sold it in 1968 to focus on the restaurant.
Credit: Natalie Jones
Credit: Natalie Jones
The Mel-O-Dee specialty
Around that same time is when the Mel-O-Dee started serving Broaster chicken — using a high-pressure cooking process that makes the meat juicy on the inside and crispy on the outside. It’s somewhat like fried chicken, but it’s not greasy.
“Back in the day, you ended up doing it in a fryer, and it would take 20 minutes, so we weren’t selling all that much chicken,” Childers said. “We get this Broaster (and) we can have chicken in 10 minutes.”
All Broaster items are marinated in a unique seasoning, lightly breaded in a special coating, and prepared to order.
“We had three Broasters, and we would kind of anticipate the business and make that chicken ahead of time,” Childers said. “I bought seven Broasters and every order I would make to order. That was a big change, and I think it helped the business.”
The house specialty includes a breast, thigh, wing and leg with customer’s choice of two sides and fresh-baked bread for $13.99.
Credit: Natalie Jones
Credit: Natalie Jones
House-made favorites
A favorite side at the restaurant is the coleslaw. People buy it by the pint, half gallon or gallon on a regular basis.
The coleslaw is a recipe from Childers’ mother’s side of the family.
“That’s the way they made coleslaw,” Childers said.
Credit: Natalie Jones
Credit: Natalie Jones
When he eats at the restaurant, he likes ordering the cod with coleslaw and bread.
He sometimes gets The Famous Mel-O-Burger featuring two ground beef patties topped with melting cheese, lettuce, pickle and Mel-O-Dee special sauce.
Other items on the menu include the Baked Swiss Steak Hot Shot, Angus Country Fried Steak, Beef Liver with Steam Onions and Gravy, Italian-Style Spaghetti and breakfast that’s served all day.
The restaurant has daily specials such as cabbage rolls or pot roast.
“We cook real food every day,” Childers said. “There’s at least four entree items and then we have vegetables and all the trimmings that you can imagine.”
Childers credits former chef Jimmy Martin for teaching his family about the restaurant business. From the menu and how to sell items to cooking and tasting food, Martin was instrumental in helping the Mel-O-Dee become what it is today.
Family owned and operated
In 1974, Childers and his brother, Woody, took over operations. Woody has since retired.
Childers now operates the restaurant with the help of his wife, Lisa; son, Mark; and longtime employee, Charlotte Farley.
He credits his wife for being a big part of why customers come back. Childers said Lisa knows most of their customers by name.
“That’s the key — making that customer feel good and they’ll come back, especially if you say their name," Childers said.
When asked about the future, Childers said they are “just trying to maintain right now.”
“People are changing. A lot of our (older) customers are passing away,” Childers said. “We’re just hoping to keep it going.”
MORE DETAILS
To place a carryout order, call 937-849-1378.
For more information, visit melodeerestaurant.com or the restaurant’s Facebook page (@melodeerestaurant).
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