Man celebrates 85th birthday, 70 years building family business

COLUMBUS, Ohio (WCMH) -- After 70 years of working in his family’s business, a Columbus man is being honored and celebrated.

Loved ones gathered Sunday to celebrate Jim Jacobs’ work anniversary and his 85th birthday.

For decades, Jacobs prioritized two things: his family and his family’s business. Family members said this is just one small way of giving back to the man who’s done so much for all of them.

“They really did a good job pulling it off, 'cause I thought 10 people were coming or something like that, so, I had no idea,” Jacobs said.

He didn’t know that dozens would be gathering to wish him a happy birthday. But, he also had no idea what they had in store for him.

“Good people around me, you know? You do good, it always comes back,” Jacobs said.

His family’s business, first known as Jacobs and Sons, opened in 1921, later changing its name to Accelerated Moving. Jacobs has been working there since 1954, never missing a day.

“You care a lot about what goes in because it represents the family,” he said. “That’s what it is. I’m really glad I received all this, it’s really shocking. They really surprised me.”

Jacobs' daughter and his nephew both said he’s a hardworking man who would do anything for anybody.

“It is so touching to see everyone here that loves and supports him,” Jacobs’ daughter, Katrina Wing, said. “Even he, he made a comment, he said, ‘You always just treat people right because this is what happens.’”

It takes a lot of blood, sweat and tears to dedicate 70 years of his life to his family’s business, and Jacobs said there’s plenty more where that came from.

“That just shows dedication,” he said. “The workers you get and the jobs you turn out and everything, you always want someone to follow in your tracks and make sure its good tracks.”

HIs family said that the party was the least they could do to show their love and appreciation.

“People are just coming together to celebrate a person that's really dedicated a lot of his life to the community, to his business, and this is just our opportunity to give back,” Jacobs’ nephew, Todd Wilson, said. “So, it's been wonderful.”

We asked Jacobs what advice he’d give to younger generations.

“I would tell them, no matter what direction you go, make your family real proud of you,” he said.

Based on everything his family said, Jacobs has really made them proud.

Jacobs is also a dedicated White Castle fan, going there for more than 70 years. So, the company supplied him with some swag and a proclamation, calling him “White Castle Royalty.”