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Hernando Today

Red Mule Turns 30

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By TONY HOLT

Hernando Today

Published: May 8, 2008

BROOKSVILLE - The food was good enough for the Motor City Madman, Howard "Hopalong" Cassidy, Lynyrd Skynyrd and most of the starters from the 1986 University of Miami football team.
For 30 years, the corned beef, pastrami and other menu items at the Red Mule Pub have been fixtures for a community that once had little else in the way of restaurants.
The cozy pub is still selling sandwiches, party platters and deli meat by the pound, but the market has changed.
"We used to be open late," said founder and co-owner Les Jinkens. "We'd have softball teams in here. Before high school football games, we would just be overrun. We did pretty well back then."
Jinkens retired from the U.S. Navy and worked in the banking industry beginning in 1969. As a side job, he would drive to Tampa and work at Tapper Pub at Britton Plaza.
That is where he learned the food and beverage trade and discovered his love for running a restaurant.
Nine years later, he opened the Red Mule. He wanted his food to be better than the rest.
"I always wanted a place known for its food first and drinks second," he said. "I didn't want it just to be a place to drink."
The drinks were plentiful and cheap in 1978. A glass of Budweiser draft cost 55 cents. Lowenbrau cost 65 cents. A pitcher of domestic beer was a measly $1.65.
For lunch, a corned beef sandwich, bag of chips, pickle spear and Coke cost $2.10 plus tax and tip.
Prices have gone up nearly five fold, but to celebrate the restaurant's 30th anniversary, Jinkens and his brother, Tim, are selling sodas and draft beer at their original prices all this week. A 65-cent draft only applies with food purchases.
The restaurant's interior has changed little during the years. Photographs cover the wall along the main dining area. Many of them have been autographed by the likes of famous athletes, musicians and actors.
Notorious guitar rocker Ted Nugent used to visit Red Mule after his mother moved to High Point 20 years ago.
The late Hughie Thomason, guitarist for the Outlaws and later Lynyrd Skynyrd, has two signed pictures on the wall. Jinkens remembers feeding the latter group on its tour bus several years ago.
"(Hughie) really liked the food here," he said. "I'm very grateful of that."
Jerome Brown would often bring his Hurricane teammates from South Florida into town. They often would stop at the restaurant belonging to one of his closest friends, Tim Jinkins.
Another honor bestowed on the family came in 1996, when the owners' mother, Julia, carried the Olympic torch through town.
"There were about 50,000 people along U.S. 41," Les Jinkens recalled. "That was one of the biggest things to happen here."
He shared his stories while slowly walking along the dining area. His eyes scanned the wall of photographs. He has helped give Brooksville an exposure it otherwise would not have had, but his humility kept him from saying so.
Besides, he is more interested in the everyday people who visit his pub. Either they come in once a year during family visits, or are part of the regular lunch crowd, he can still rely on a robust base of customers.
"I think the product has a lot to do with hit," Jinkens said. "We've never varied from the quality … We have a good fan base."
As part of its celebration, the Red Mule is sponsoring an event Friday night from 6 to 9 p.m. that will include $2 drafts and "Strawberry Hill" wine.
The celebration will continue at 10 a.m. Saturday with a Red Mule Poker Run. For more information, visit www.redmulepub.com.

Reporter Tony Holt can be reached at 352-544-5283 or wholt@hernandotoday.com.

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