From left, Council member Susan Elliott, Tish Pollitt, Council member Derrick Campbell and Mayor Todd Hart toast Charles Robert Pollitt, a former council member who repealed the village of Amelia’s ban on serving alcohol at the grand opening of Don Rigo Mexican Bar and Grill on April 6.

From left, Council member Susan Elliott, Tish Pollitt, Council member Derrick Campbell and Mayor Todd Hart toast Charles Robert Pollitt, a former council member who repealed the village of Amelia’s ban on serving alcohol at the grand opening of Don Rigo Mexican Bar and Grill on April 6.
By Kelly Doran
Sun staff

When Charles Robert Pollitt was fighting prostate cancer in 2012, he decided he wanted to do something for mankind before he died.

Pollitt, known as Bob, decided his contribution would be to make the village of Amelia wet again, repealing the ban his grandfather put on serving alcohol by the glass when he was mayor, Tish Pollitt, Pollitt’s wife said.

Pollitt, a council member, petitioned and got the law repealed at the end of 2012, about a month before he died, Tish Pollitt said.

“He was happy as a clam,” Tish Pollitt said.

Tish Pollitt was one of the many who came for the Don Rigo Mexican Bar and Grill grand opening in Amelia, the first restaurant in Amelia to serve alcohol by the glass in over 90 years, Mayor Todd Hart said.

Hart hopes that without alcohol restrictions, Amelia will be more attractive to businesses and to residents.

“We are the place to come. The volume of people is here, that’s obvious,” Hart said.

Pollitt hoped this would help the economy in Amelia as well, Tish Pollitt said. Wherever Pollitt is, Tish Pollitt said, he’s probably very happy. He put a lot of work into this.

Hart is very excited to have Don Rigo open and excited the ban is lifted.

Vicente Melendez, one of three owners of Don Rigo, has been working to open the restaurant for the past five months. He is happy to be located in Amelia, he said.

Don Rigo opened April 2 and since business has been great, Melendez said. In the five days Don Rigo has been open, some customers have been there three times already.

Don Rigo is a family restaurant named after Melendez’s father. The restaurant uses family recipes.

Don Rigo is open from 11 a.m. until 10 p.m. Monday through Thursday, 11 a.m. to 12 a.m. Friday and Saturday and 11 a.m. to 9:30 p.m. on Sunday.

The restaurant is located at 224 W. Main St. in Amelia.