For years, Johnny Youssef had his eye on the 115-year-old vacant stone church before he was able to snag it. A TikTok-famous house-flipper and renovator, Youssef knew the historic building had potential.
In 2015, Youssef learned it was for sale but wasn’t in a position to buy it. However, in 2022, after years of driving by the historic midtown building (3931 Washington St.), the property was for sale again, and Youssef knew he had to seize the moment. At the same time, he and his soon-to-be wife Abby were planning their own wedding. The two had toured a variety of venues and started to become familiar with the industry. Two months before they said “I do,” they closed on the church, and renovations started soon after.
The name Melrose Abbey came from the well-known Los Angeles street Melrose Avenue, which Youssef lived near during his time in Southern California. He loved the name and its meaning, “honey of a flower.” The name “Abbey” has multiple meanings for the couple. With it being his wife’s name and also the name of a monastic religious structure for nuns and monks, it seemed like the perfect name for the old church.
“I really liked the combination because Melrose is the romantic and heart side and then Abbey is that mind side of love,” Youssef says. “I googled Melrose Abbey to see if anyone had used that name before, and there’s an old Scottish abbey called Melrose Abbey. It’s kind of in ruins, but it looks just like our building.”
When it came to the renovation, Youssef wanted to prioritize creating a perfect wedding and entertainment venue while also honoring the church’s rich history. Born in Egypt and raised by two Egyptian parents, Youssef says it’s important for him to bring people together, and this venue is a perfect vehicle for that.
“I think growing up in a strong hospitable culture, we’ve always had a kind of open door policy in our home,” Youssef says. “We just love having people over. The reason I got into it is because I just love hospitality. I love offering people an experience.”
Although it has cost almost triple what Youssef originally thought and has taken nearly twice as long to complete than initially planned, it has been worth it.
“I was really naive to how much it was going to cost and how much time it was going to take,” Youssef says. “I was too optimistic. Quitting was not an option once I started. I just had to figure out a way.”
For months, the couple discovered hidden stained glass windows, old wooden rails and other unique features that make Melrose Abbey what it is today. At one point, someone suggested getting rid of the plaster wall that stood along the exterior wall on the balcony level. Once removed, they discovered a beautiful stained glass window and an original wooden railing handmade by the founding 1920 Swedish congregation.
“It is easy on paper to make a plan, but for the historic building, the actual execution had its challenges,” Youssef says. “Some walls were more difficult to work with than we thought, so doing major construction on a historic property had its challenges to be able to protect and preserve it while being able to do what we needed to do.”
While most wedding venues provide a space for the ceremony, reception and often rooms for the party to get ready in, Youssef’s goal is to make the location the backdrop of the entire wedding weekend experience.
“If you think about it, the bride and groom usually go to a place where they’re getting ready, and then there’s the ceremony, reception and then everyone goes to their home,” Youssef says. “We wanted to make it more of an experience.”
With phase one done, which includes a renovated church sanctuary that boasts a 12-foot chandelier for the ceremony and an event space that includes a moody marble bar, the team has now started on phase two: the hotel. The plan is to create a few suites for the wedding party and guests so they can stay on-site during a weekend of wedding activities.
“Instead of people just going home and driving to different hotels, we thought it would be great to offer suites for the wedding party or whomever they want to have with them a place to stay together and create memories,” Youssef says.
