Beef Corral was dreamed up by brothers Dick and Ed Modzelewski. This was not their first restaurant venture, but it was unique in that it was quick serve beef with a "western flavor".¹ The A-frame buildings that still stand proudly in your mind were designed by Chesterland, Ohio's Samuel M. Mills in 1967.² The Modzelewski brothers had become "real ranchers" and raised their own beef.
Willowick Beef Corral, at 31219 Vine Street, was not the first Beef Corral sandwich shop in the area. That honor goes to the Mayfield location, at 5945 Mayfield Road, which opened December 1966. This first outfit cost $220,000 to build, and the intention was to go national with the restaurant.¹
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| October 7, 1966, Cleveland Plain Dealer |
The distinctive Beef Corral logo featured a horned bull inside the classic flat-topped A-frame shape. It was patented in 1966.
Naturally, the Modzelewski brothers would make appearances and sign autographs at Beef Corral grand openings. They also called on numerous other Cleveland Browns players to do the same.
The Willowick Beef Corral finally opened June 10th and 11th, 1967. A very boisterous ad with a enough western slang to kill a cowpoke ran in the Cleveland Plain Dealer. Dick, calling himself the trail boss, promised a "rip-roarin', saddle bustin' grand opening" featuring prizes for kids, real covered wagons, and appearances by - you guessed it - members of the Cleveland Browns. The menu was teased, too - western roast beef, cole slaw, thick milkshakes, soft drinks, and Beef Corral potato salad. Come have dinner in Beef Corral's "round up room" for a real treat.
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| June 10, 1967 Cleveland Plain Dealer |
Solon Beef Corral opened on Saturday, September 2, 1967 at 34150 Aurora Road.
North Randall Beef Corral opened November 1967 at 4781 Northfield Road.
Cleveland Beef Corral opened January 1968 at 16707 Euclid Avenue.
Garfield Heights Beef Corral opened 1968 at 5126 Turney Road.
2 new sandwiches were made available at Willowick Beef Corral as the menu began to expand.
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| May 25, 1968, Cleveland Plain Dealer |
The Buckeroo [sic] Beef Burger had "chuck wagon" flavor and a slice of cheese, and came with your choice of toppings. Kosher Corned Beef was served on a rye bun with dill pickles.
Below is an incredible ad with Dick and Ed, plus the stock photo they used all over the place with the wide-ended sedan parked out front of the restaurant. It's got pictures of the "Corral" roast beef, Kosher corned beef, Buckeroo Beefburger, side dishes, and a photo of a full "rustic" dining room.
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| August 3, 1968, Cleveland Plain Dealer |
By 1968, the Cleveland Plain Dealer claimed a Beef Corral was already open in Indiana, and the company had a staggering 152 construction contracts placed all over the country.³
In 1970, 2 more restaurants were open: 6530 Pearl Road, Parma Heights, and 350 West Bagley Road, Berea. Plans were announced that same year for a location inside the remolded Euclid-9th tower. The address is listed at 2016 East 9th street.⁴ This location would blend in with the buildings around it and finally opened in early 1971.
In Spring 1971, just in time for lent, Beef Corral introduced a fish sandwich and new golden french fries. The menu expansion continued, as shown by this ad for the downtown location. In addition to a ham and cheese sandwich, pastries were now available, at the East 9th location.
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| April 16, 1971, Cleveland Plain Dealer |
A copy of the Beef Corral menu as it looked on June 4, 1971. A new location, Ridge Road and Day Drive in Parma has opened. The Plain Dealer reported that the downtown Beef Corral was a wild success, with a line often out the door, even in terrible weather.⁵ Due to this success, the Modzelewski brothers opened another downtown Beef Corral, at 241 Euclid Avenue in May 1972.
Lakewood Beef Corral opened by summer 1972 at 17103 Detroit Avenue. Cedar Center, at 2115 Warrensville Center Road, was the 13th Beef Corral to open in the Cleveland area. It opened in March of 1973. That number was reduced back to 12 with the closing of the Berea store. Everything was auctioned off from that location on November 20, 1975.
About ten years after the first Beef Corral opened it's doors, the company had another first with the opening of the Beef Corral at Euclid Square Mall. This location opened with the mall on March 1, 1977, and kept up with the warm toned, rustic interior. The address was 486 Euclid Square Mall.
By mid-1978, the brothers owned 30% of Beef Corral and ran eight; the others were franchise stores. Later that year, it was announced that Beef Corral would be purchased by coffee chain Chock full o'Nuts.
On February 10, 1982, the contents of the Solon store were sold at auction. On June 23, 1982, the second downtown location was liquidated.
Chock full o'Nuts sold Beef Corral to a Cleveland based investment group, VSR Corp., in 1983. They admitted they didn't do much with the chain while they owned it. In the time span of 1978 until 1983, the lost three locations and about $2 million a year in sales. It was an incredibly stagnant period for the company and the restaurants. Prior to this purchase, it was rumored Roy Rogers was interested in buying Beef Corral.⁶
Seven locations remain in the Winter of 1983. This is the last of Beef Corral in the Cleveland area. Some will become Arby's as part of this acquisition.
¹ "New Beef Corral Due in Mayfield Heights". Cleveland Plain Dealer, December 18, 1966
² "Official gazette of the United States Patent Office". United States. Patent Office, February 1968
³ "Fast Eats". Cleveland Plain Dealer, September 26, 1968
⁴ "Beef Corral Planned at Euclid-9th". Cleveland Plain Dealer, April 20, 1970
⁵ "After-Dark Dining Trade Fades in Downtown Area". Cleveland Plain Dealer, February 27, 1972
⁶ "VSR Corp. buys Beef Corral Chain". Cleveland Plain Dealer, May 10, 1983
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