RAPID RIVER, Mich. (WZMQ) – This week, a Rapid River restaurant is celebrating its 80th anniversary.
Jack’s Restaurant has welcomed Rapid River residents and visitors alike since 1943. It operated as a family-owned business for 71 years. Then, current owner Bobbi Ryan was asked to take over.
“I came to work here at Jack’s and really fell in love with the place and how community-oriented it was,” Ryan said.
Nine years later, she’s still at the helm.
“First I said no,” Ryan said with a laugh. “Then we took it on and it’s been great. Getting it to 80 after going through COVID was my big goal, and here we are.”
Of course, people go to Jack’s for the food–nearly 100% of which is made from scratch. However, Ryan attributes Jack’s longevity to its sense of community.
“We are one giant family,” she said. “My servers, my kitchen staff. A lot of customers come in repeatedly. We hear the stories every day about, ‘I used to come here with my grandparents’ or they’re going to camp and they’ve got to stop by or whatever, so there’s so many stories. It’s very cool.”
All week, Jack’s has been celebrating with 80th anniversary-themed specials, like an $0.80 breakfast and an $8.00 lunch.
The main attraction is the Cinnamon Roll Challenge at noon on Saturday, May 13. Eighteen people will compete to finish a five-pound cinnamon roll in 19 minutes and 43 seconds.
“If they can do that, they get a big certificate and a shirt,” said Ryan. “It’s just fun!”
As the end of the anniversary week approaches, Ryan thanks the community for its continued support. She also wants to shine a spotlight on the staff for helping Jack’s thrive for the past eight decades.
“There’s no way we could do what we’re doing without all of us doing it,” she said. “Family within the community, family within the building itself, that to me is important.”
Ryan says she is excited about the present and future of Jack’s Restaurant.
“Can we get to 100? I don’t know if I’ve got twenty years left in me,” joked Ryan. “We’ll give it a shot!”
To see more of the anniversary specials, visit the Jack’s Restaurant Facebook page.
