Jacobs Garage celebrates 80th birthday with car show

FALLS VILLAGE — It was 1930 when Joe and Harold Jacobs opened their garage in Falls Village. The garage has its 80th anniversary this year, with the third and fourth generations of Jacobs still turning wrenches.

Or performing computer diagnostics. Denny Jacobs, Joe’s grandson and the current proprietor, said the advent of the new technology has been a mixed blessing in the car repair business.

“I hate to admit it, but computer technology has improved mileage,� he said.

On the other hand, “It’s also made things expensive. A simple tune-up used to be a one-hour job. Now it can take four or five.�

Dave Jacobs, the fourth generation’s representative, is the in-house electronics specialist.

Joe Jacobs bought out brother Harold in 1932, and in 1936 became a Pontiac and GMC truck dealer.

The dealership was so successful — selling more cars from tiny Falls Village one year than any other Pontiac dealer in the entire Northeast — that executives from Detroit made the trip to see for themselves.

Over the years the business evolved, surviving recessions, oil embargoes and a fire. Les Jacobs took over in 1971 after Joe’s death, with his wife, Bea, keeping the books.

Les didn’t keep the Pontiac dealership. “I think that was the smartest move he made,� said Denny. “The Pontiacs really went downhill� in the 1970s.

The business also stopped towing and offering auto body services, “but we stayed busy,� Denny Jacobs said.

And they’ve stayed busy — even during uncertain economic times.

“It’s been a reverse whammy for us,â€� Denny said. “Used to be someone would come in with an ’89 Honda and I’d tell them it’s not worth putting  $1,000 into it. Now people are spending $2,000 or $3,000 on a $1,000 car. That’s what it boils down to.â€�

There is another reason why Jacobs Garage keeps humming, and why customers come from downstate and as far afield as Pennsylvania.

“We keep it very personal,� Denny said. “Customers come in all day long, tell a joke or a story ...�

“Or visit with the dog,� interjected his wife, Judy.

“Hey,â€� said Denny, getting down to brass tacks.  “If you end up able to feed the family and have a few friends, then you’re doing pretty good.â€�

The Jacobs family will celebrate the business’ 80th anniversary with a car show on Sunday, July 11 (rain date is Saturday, July 24),  from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m.

Downtown Falls Village will be home to all sorts of vehicles: street rods, muscle cars, race cars, antiques, custom jobs, motorcycles and trucks. There will also be food and drink, giveaways — and music by Swamp Yankee, a local band. The $5 entry fee for show cars goes to the Falls Village Volunteer Fire Department. Denny Jacobs said that, with good weather, he anticipates 200 cars.