Scott Kirmil has lived many lives. That’s what happens when you’re always on the move.
He’s been a punk rock drummer and a criminal justice student intent on becoming an arson investigator. He’s been a bartender and a real estate agent. Most recently, he’s become a restaurateur, a successful one too. With Inked Restaurant Group, Kirmil owns five––soon-to-be six––restaurants in Rhode Island, including his first, Diego’s, a punk-infused West Coast-style taco joint on Newport’s waterfront.
“I’m not good at sitting still,” Kirmil, Northeastern University class of 2004, says. “I’m a high-energy person. I was alright when I was doing real estate because I was running to the gym and then going to bartending [at night]. That was all crazy, but I’m definitely not a huge desk guy. I like challenges.”
Although it’s been more than a decade since he opened Diego’s, success wasn’t always in the cards for Kirmil. Most of his life has been twists and turns, energizing highs and lows that almost brought him to his knees.
