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Jimmy Lynch pushes himself and others hard.
Casually dressed in blue jeans and a Ralph Lauren button-down, he's all smiles, the consummate host. The restaurateur is legendary for his gregarious way around customers.
But when Lynch is angry, his face turns crimson as he slams his hand on a table and growls, "I want to cut a deal." Ten years ago he threw a Des Moines Register food critic out of his restaurant for panning his fare.
But the inherent drive of the 5O-year-old former Naval Academy cadet and stockbroker has paid off. Lynch has been building a miniature restaurant empire in Des Moines for years.
Last year, his three restaurants generated $6 million in sales for his company, Food and Beverage Inc. He opened a fourth eatery this month, with a bakery coming soon.
"That's a lot more than some restaurants could think of making," said Guido Fenu, longtime Des Moines restaurateur and manager of Glen Oaks Country Club.
Car dealer and Lynch's close friend Don Politte refers to Eighth Street in West Des Moines, where three of Lynch's restaurants sit, as "Lynchtown."
Lynch's domain includes the Eighth Street restaurants Jimmy's American Cafe and the 8th Street Seafood Bar & Grill, and the 801 Steak and Chop House downtown.
Lynch recently opened Cabo San Lucas on Eighth Street, which offers coastal Mexican food at the former Happy Chef building in West Des Moines.
It seems like any well-known business person knows "Jimmy." They describe him as a self-made man.
"He's one of the leading restaurateurs in this community," said real estate magnate William C. Knapp. "He's a genius in knowing how to put a restaurant together."
Knapp knows the business. His restaurant portfolio includes the popular Drake Diner, the West End Diner in Clive and the North End Diner in Johnston.
Praise aside, Lynch is feeling pretty good these days. He's spent 100-hour work weeks opening up Cabo after taking over the Happy Chef spot only months ago. The opening has been so successful, people have been turned away.
Yet Lynch isn't resting easy. He's always thinking ahead, planning new endeavors.
When Corey Becker, 8th Street general manager, worked as a bartender at Jimmy's, he often saw Lynch sitting at the bar quietly,...