Young Tax Service has served the Jamestown region for 50 years. From left are Jim Olson, Tracey Hewitt, James Isaacson, Dana Bellinger, Wayne C. Young, and Brenda Y. Hendricks. Young and Hendricks are holding pictures of their parents, Arthur and Barbara Young. P-J photo by William Mohan

A tax service company in Jamestown has been servicing the community for five decades.

Young Tax Service has proudly served Chautauqua County for 50 years and has evolved from a small tax service for farmers to a multi-client affair. All the while, the company also been operated by various members of the Young family.

Founded in 1969, the business was established by Arthur and Barbara Young. Originally, they were located in Cherry Creek and provided service for nearly 50 clients in their first year. The original address was 6873 Main St.

“We moved in April (1969), I was 12-years-old,” said Wayne Young, owner and operator.

Young refers to the beginning of the business when the Youngs owned a dairy farm. After selling the farm, Arthur Young decided to go into the business of helping farmers financially.

“He loved dairy farming, but he had to move off the farm because he had (multiple sclerosis),” Young explained.

Having been a farmer himself, the elder Young knew that there were many in his former profession who struggled and needed financial help. It helped that Arthur Young already had a penchant for and enjoyed analyzing numbers. Originally, there were six accounts managed by Young Tax Service.

“They were other dairy farmers,” Young said.

Amazingly one client has been with Young Tax Service since the first day of business.

“That was the original, 1968, dairy farmer who still owns a dairy farm and still our customer,” Young said. “All 50 years, it’s pretty amazing.”

“This (was) my father’s hobby, he did his (tax) return plus six others, plus what he did on the farm,” he said.

While most would dread the idea of doing their taxes, Arthur Young enjoyed it.

“Income tax preparation was his hobby,” Young said. “That’s how the business started.”

The business opened a second location in Jamestown in 1983. The current location was the result of consolidation of their accounts and a move in 2010. The Cherry Creek location and its operations were absorbed into the Jamestown office in 2012.

Not surprisingly, there were many members of the Young family who joined the business.

“My father and mother started it, and my sister and brother-in-law got involved.” Young said. “In the mid-70s they were involved and then they were heavily involved after I graduated college.”

During this time, the Cherry Creek office was still maintained for North County clients while the Jamestown office served the South County. Young’s brother in-law, Bruce Hendricks, managed that location with his sister, Brenda.

Products offered by Young Tax Services besides tax preparation include payroll, consultation, financial planning and small business accounting.

“The business started as a tax return business, but we’re busy about six months of the year so we added these other services,” Young said. “I’m also an enrolled agent with the IRS, which means I can represent people in front of the IRS.”

To request a consultation, call 664-1550. Young Tax Services is located at 101 W. 5th St. in Jamestown. Hours, during tax season are Monday through Friday 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. and Saturday 9 a.m. to noon. During the off-season, hours are Monday through Friday 9 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. and closed Friday during July and August.