Legendary Culver City businessman John Riordan – as quiet as he is profound – will observe his landmark 90th birthday on Saturday afternoon.
Between 2 o’clock and 5 — and beyond — at the Masonic Lodge, 9631 Venice Blvd., next door to “my shop,” his plumbing business, Mr. Riordan will be surrounded by family from Indianapolis, friends and plumbing customers.
Mr. Riordan’s party is open to the public, to all who wish to congratulate the soft-spoken, imperturbable Midwesterner on his accomplishments.
Last interviewed nine months when he was in his mid-89s, the enterprising Mr. Riordan speculated at the time that this might be his final year.
Yeah, right.
He laughed when reminded of his observation.
“I have been saying that for 20 years,” he acknowledged.
Faithfully, every weekday afternoon at 4:30, Mr. Riordan reports to “my shop,” 9623 Venice Blvd.
“The best part of being in business at the age of 90 is having the satisfaction of being able to do something,” he said.
John Riordan Plumbing, Inc. was established nearly a half-century ago, 1970, when Mr. Riordan was a young man of 43.
Many in Culver City are familiar with the story of how John Riordan Plumbing was born.
He was working for the Rand Corp. in the late 1960s when he had a plumbing problem at home.
“I called Jack Newton Plumbing,” Mr. Riordan said. “When he came out, he charged two dollars and 50 cents for labor plus the cost of material. I said, ‘My, that looks so easy.’ And I was working so hard at the Rand Corp.
“I said to Jack, ‘What do you do to become a plumber?’ He said, ‘If you go to Trade Tech and get your contractor’s license, you will be set for life.’
“I started going to Trade Tech at night and I worked at Rand during the day. I got my contractor’s license, and in 1970, I went into business.”
Forty-seven years later, Mr. Enterprise still is example-setting for a grateful community.