El Charrito Mexican Restaurant in Washington is celebrating one year of business on Thursday.

Enrique Delgado, 34, said opening his own restaurant has been a dream of his for some time. He has spent almost a decade in the industry, starting out as a busboy and eventually working his way to a managerial role, watching out for a business while the owner was away. Customers even bypassed the owner and mistook him for the boss on some occasions, he said with a laugh.

After leaving his last job at another local Mexican restaurant, he worked in delivery for a couple of months before securing the unused building on West Fifth Street. On Dec. 10, 2014, El Charrito’s doors swung open for its first day, with the help of Delgado’s restaurant partner Margarito Perez.

“I was like, ‘Why not?’” Delgado said. “I see the opportunity to open this restaurant and there it is.”

He said what sets El Charrito apart from other restaurants is its ability to adapt: cooking authentic Mexican food for some customers, as well as a more Tex-Mex style of food for others.

“Because I have experience in restaurants, it was not difficult for me,” Delgado said of transitioning to an ownership position. “I was a little scared, you know. One day I was thinking I don’t think it was going work.”

The Washington community has embraced El Charrito, he said, and people even drive from outside of the county to come there.

“They can’t find a Mexican restaurant like this,” Delgado said. “They say they can’t find the same in Greenville.”

When opening the restaurant, it was important to listen to what the customers wanted — another reason why they try to adapt the plates to a customer’s palate preference, he said.

Delgado and Perez are thankful for their customers, and Delgado said they are hoping to do outside renovations in another year. There may even be another restaurant in the future, as well.

“We’re doing good. We’ve got a lot of people now,” he said. “Thanks to all my customers in Washington and I hope they stick with us.”

“We hope we can stay in Washington another year.”

El Charrito Mexican Restaurant is celebrating its one-year anniversary all day Thursday, Dec. 10, with a live mariachi band scheduled to perform at 6 p.m.