Kaballos Mexican Restaurant was gutted by a fire the morning of April 13, 2025, leaving a blackened shell in the center of Middlefield Village’s largest commercial district.
Kaballos Mexican Restaurant was gutted by a fire the morning of April 13, 2025, leaving a blackened shell in the center of Middlefield Village’s largest commercial district.
Last week, demolition of the charred structure on 0.8 of an acre at 15585 W. High Street began with giant green containers parked on the snowy asphalt parking lot to be filled with the remnants of the popular family-owned eatery.
Larry Shibley, owner of the property, said in a phone interview Dec. 17 he leased the restaurant to Ramon and Maria Arellanos two years ago.
In December 2023, the Arellanos family remodeled the building, filling it with personal touches, including a hand-painted mural created by Ramon’s father, according to a Kaballos employee who had set up a GoFundMe account to help the family.
Shibley said Middlefield Village required the demolition after officials determined the burned-out structure was dangerous.
Once the debris is cleared to the pavement, he said he is hopeful the site will be leased by someone interested in starting another business, but he does not plan to construct a new building there.
“We’d easily end up spending $2 million putting up a new building,” he said.
Talks with the Arellanos family about rebuilding have not progressed and Shibley said he is open to offers.
“We will wait to see what we get,” he said, adding the real estate also may be sold, though he is not in a rush.
“We’ll decide based on what’s good for the plaza and the community,” Shibley said.
He said he offered to establish Kaballos at another nearby site, but the family instead decided to move the restaurant to a smaller space in Newbury Center at the intersection of Kinsman and Auburn roads last summer and has not revisited his offer.
“I hear they are doing pretty well. They are a great family,” he said. “We’ve enjoyed working with them. Any way we can help the family move back to Middlefield, we will.”
Shibley owns nine Yours Truly restaurants in the Cleveland area but said he does not expect to open one in Middlefield or Burton, though he likes both communities.
“We are not planning on coming to Middlefield Village at this point,” he said, noting Yours Truly is undergoing some corporate changes.
On the Kaballos website, Ramon Arellanos left a heartfelt message: “During this difficult moment, we find strength in the support of our community. We are truly blessed and we thank God for the gift of belonging to such a loving and united community.”
