Reporting by Abigail Flores-Johnson, Fort Collins Coloradoan
When owners Jose and Maria Caballero talk about closing Los Tarascos after 31 years, they rarely start with the restaurant.
Instead, they talk about their children.
“My motivation was always my children,” Maria Caballero told the Coloradoan in an interview conducted in Spanish. “To give them a better life.”
When the couple arrived in Fort Collins from Michoacán, Mexico, in 1995, they came with their three children, Hugo Caballero Jr., Gema Caballero and Priscilla Umbreit. In search of opportunity, they envisioned a future that would allow their children to attend college, pursue careers of their own and never feel obligated to spend their lives in the family business.
Thirty-one years later, that dream has come true.
As Los Tarascos prepared to close its doors on Sept. 23, the Caballeros reflected on a journey that began with little English, a handful of family recipes, and an unwavering belief that hard work and love could change the course of their family’s future.
How it all began
Los Tarascos didn’t begin at 622 S. College Ave., where it would spend most of its life.
The restaurant’s first home was a smaller space where Thai Station now operates, and in those early years, Jose and Maria Caballero were building a business from the ground up while raising three children and learning how to navigate life in a new country.
Jose Caballero arrived with years of restaurant experience from Mexico, while Maria Caballero had spent much of her life focused on raising her family before suddenly finding herself helping run a restaurant.
“I wasn’t prepared for that responsibility,” Maria Caballero said.
Together, the couple cooked the recipes they knew from home. Some came from Maria Caballero’s mother. Others came from Jose Caballero’s family. Over time, more relatives arrived from Mexico. Parents, siblings and extended family members joined the effort, helping turn Los Tarascos into a true family business.
Building a customer base took time. Authentic Mexican food was far less common in Fort Collins in 1995, Jose Caballero said, and some dishes had to be slightly adjusted for local palates while the family introduced customers to the flavors they grew up with.
Eventually, word spread. Customers returned, brought friends and helped the restaurant steadily grow. After roughly 13 years in its original location, Los Tarascos had outgrown the space.
One of the Caballeros’ favorite memories from that time period involves longtime customer and local businessman Jim Mokler, who helped the family purchase the building at 622 S. College Ave.
When the opportunity arose to buy the building, Mokler provided $100,000 that helped the Caballeros secure financing for the purchase.
“He believed in us,” Jose Caballero said. “That was a moment of growth.”
Looking back, Jose Caballero said moments like that are why it’s impossible to tell the restaurant’s story without talking about Fort Collins.
“Without the community, we wouldn’t have survived,” he said.
Memories and milestones
For Jose Caballero, some of the restaurant’s most memorable moments came from ideas that ended up changing the business.
Before opening Los Tarascos, he spent months studying successful restaurants and bars, paying particular attention to Rio Grande Mexican Restaurant’s margarita program. Drawing on years of bartending experience in Mexico, he began experimenting with recipes of his own.
After months of testing and gathering feedback from customers, he landed on a margarita recipe that quickly became a favorite.
“I would sell two gallons of margaritas, maybe,” Jose Caballero said. “After that, we’d sell eight gallons.” The boost helped propel the restaurant’s growth.
“The food was the same,” he said. “But it changed our life.”
Over the years, Los Tarascos became a gathering place for generations of Fort Collins families. The restaurant hosted birthdays, anniversaries, business celebrations and countless Cinco de Mayo gatherings.
Some memories carried even deeper meaning.
“We’ve celebrated weddings, birthdays, anniversaries,” Jose Caballero said. “People have even brought the ashes of loved ones who enjoyed coming here.”
One of his greatest joys, he said, was seeing customers leave happy.
“That’s the biggest satisfaction for us as restaurant owners,” Jose Caballero said. “When people love the food and tell you thank you.”
What’s next for the Los Tarascos team?
The decision to close wasn’t driven by business challenges, Jose Caballero said.
After more than three decades in the restaurant industry, he and Maria Caballero are ready for a slower pace of life.
“We still have the passion,” Jose Caballero said. “We just don’t have the energy.”
The couple said Los Tarascos also fulfilled the goal that brought them to Fort Collins in the first place. Their children built lives of their own, independent of the restaurant.
Today, the Caballero children are pursuing different ventures. Gema Caballero runs her own clothing brand, Hugo Caballero Jr. is preparing to launch a tequila brand, and Priscilla Umbreit is focused on the next chapter of her life after years helping manage Los Tarascos.
“We wanted them to go to college and build their own lives,” Jose said. “That was always the dream.”
While Los Tarascos is closing, the Caballeros don’t plan to step away entirely. They expect to spend time helping at La Buena Vida while enjoying retirement, traveling and spending more time with their grandchildren.
“We’re closing with nostalgia,” Maria Caballero said. “But we’re happy.”
For Jose Caballero, the restaurant’s legacy extends far beyond the food.
“We came looking for an opportunity,” he said. “And we found a home.”
Abigail Flores-Johnson covers food, beer and entertainment for the Coloradoan. You can reach her by email at abigailflores-johnson@coloradoan.com.
This article originally appeared on Fort Collins Coloradoan.
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