My Island Pancake House in Melbourne closes; IHOP takes over lease
The Melbourne location of My Island Pancake House closed Jan. 8, but breakfast lovers, take heart. The location won't be without pancakes very long.
"We had IHOP offer to take the lease over," said Steve Mardis, who owns Merritt Island Pancake House, My Island Pancake House in Rockledge and the recently opened My Island Smokehouse in north Cocoa.
An IHOP spokesperson confirmed via email that a new IHOP will be opening early in the third quarter of 2024.
Steve and Kelly Mardis opened Merritt Island Pancake House on North Courtenay Parkway in 2017. My Island Pancake House opened on Barton Boulevard in 2020. The Melbourne My Island Pancake House followed in 2021 at 2247 N. Wickham Road, Melbourne, just south of Lake Washington Road, in a location previously occupied by the Egg and I.
They opened a barbecue joint, My Island Smokehouse, in November in the former home of Corky Bell's Seafood and Woody's Bar-B-Q.
Mardis said the Melbourne restaurant was a "break-even location." When given the option of signing a five-year lease or letting IHOP take over, the Mardises went with the IHOP option.
More restaurant news: Green Turtle in Indian Harbour Beach has been sold; here's what the future holds
IHOP currently has Brevard restaurants at 8201 N. Wickham Road, Melbourne; 4160 W. State Road 520, Cocoa; 855 Palm Bay Road NE, West Melbourne; 3744 Cheney Highway, Titusville; and 3830 N. Atlantic Ave., Cocoa Beach.
The Pasadina, California-based chain offers breakfast all day, with 65 signature breakfast options, as well as lunch and dinner. As of Sept. 30, there were 1,794 IHOP restaurants around the world, according to a press release.
Suzy Fleming Leonard is a features journalist with more than three decades of experience. Reach her at sleonard@floridatoday.com. Find her on Facebook: @SuzyFlemingLeonard or on Instagram: @SuzyLeonard.
This article originally appeared on Florida Today: IHOP takes Melbourne restaurant space after My Island Pancake closes
