BELLAIRE It was 45 years ago this week when Rigas’ Restaurant first opened its doors as a family business to serve their homemade dishes a tradition that continues to this day.

Started by the late Mike Rigas and his wife Clara, the restaurant continues to be owned and run by the Rigas family. Clara Rigas still works there, along with Mike and Clara’s children, Rosalie Rigas-Kovalyk and Christopher Rigas, as well as their cousin George Krabousanos, who has been working at the Bellaire restaurant for 40-years.

Kovalyk also said a lot of credit for the business’s success needs to go to the dedicated staff that works there and the customers, some of whom eat two or three times a day there.

“Without our employees and loyal customers who spread the word, we would never have survived,” she said. “We are so blessed and hope to be here another 45 years.”

She also said that the staff is a like a part of the family at the restaurant and combined bring 265 years worth of experience to the business.

In honor of this anniversary, the family owned and operated establishment will be holding a week-long celebration with specials on some of their most popular dishes, as well as prime rib that will be served starting Monday. There will also be a chance for the public to stop in daily to sign up to win gift certificates from a daily drawing this week.

The story of this restaurant goes back to 1963 when Mike Rigas and his wife Clara opened up shop at 3293 Belmont St.

It wasn’t an easy path.

According to Kovalyk, in the summer of 1963, her father was out of work and decided to open his own restaurant, but couldn’t get a loan. With the help of a friend, George Boury of Wheeling, and some “determination and grit,” he was able to get that loan and opened in November of 1963, offering homemade favorites with some Greek flare. The restaurant established itself and took off.

But Mike Rigas also saw the need to expand. At the time, the other side of Rigas’ was a jewelry store, but Rigas refused to expand until the woman who owned the store retired. In 1983 she did and almost immediately, Rigas was ready to start remodeling to accommodate even more hungry customers.

Sadly, Mike Rigas passed away in 1991, but his children, both of whom have college degrees, chose to remain in Bellaire and keep the family restaurant going.

Today, the restaurant continues to be run by the Rigas family.

When it comes to making the dishes, about 95 percent is homemade. Christopher Rigas, Kovalyk or Krabousanos prepares all the food, and they are the only ones who know the recipes handed down by Mike Rigas. Very few items are prepared outside the restaurant. The dishes, soups and desserts are all made from scratch at Rigas, not in a factory that ships them for re-heating. From the homemade sausage and gravy that “melts in your mouth” to the home fries are homemade, cut fresh. Even many of the meats, including the liver and veal, are cut and prepared right in the restaurant.

Those recipes continue the tradition of food with flavor and Greek flare, offering daily specials that aren’t found at most other places like veal cutlet, city chicken, baked Swiss steak, corn beef and cabbage and even liver and onions. Other specials included chicken parmesan, meat loaf and lasagna.

“We have people coming from Pittsburgh and Akron for our lasagna,” Kovalyk said.

Some of the other customer favorites include Rigas’ beet salad and coleslaw.

“We never sacrifice quality,” Kovalyk said. “I would rather take something off the menu than lessen the quality.”

They also offer a large variety of sandwiches, seafood and plenty of breakfast items, including omelets and pancakes.

Over the years, there have also been some changes to the menu.

Kovalyk said she has tried to create new salads over the years to meet the needs of dieters. One of the biggest sellers is the Buffalo Chicken Salad. There is also a gyro salad. And when it comes to gyros, at Rigas they are served with a special Greek sauce, not the usual cucumber sauce. It’s something customers will only find at Rigas, or when the restaurant provides it annually at the food festival held at the Greek church in Martins Ferry, Kovalyk said.

The restaurant also does some upgrading every year, and this year was no exception. In honor of the 45th anniversary, the building got a new paint job for a fresh new look.

The restaurant is coming up on a busy time of year too.

With Thanksgiving and Christmas fast approaching, Kovalyk said she is going to be busy making 60 to 90 pies. For pie orders, she recommends calling the restaurant a day in advance to place an order.

The Bellaire Area Chamber of Commerce annual Christmas parade will also be a special time. Being held on Nov. 29, Kovalyk said the Rigas’ Restaurant will be giving away free hot chocolate and coffee to help celebrate the event.

Rigas’ is open Monday through Saturday, 6:30 a.m. until 9 p.m. They also do catering and open for private gatherings by request on Sundays.

Schuler can be reached at shoe@timesleaderonline.com