Restaurateur Tucker Curtin was born to run. Whether hauling sacks of potatoes or moving a vintage diner from Philadelphia to his hometown, his energy appears endless.

Splitting his time between three restaurants—The Steer, Dug’s Dive and Lake Effect Diner—he is married, has three children, and at 39 years old he has many goals. Topping the list? To make a lasting impression.

People Talk: You are a man of many schools.

Tucker Curtin: Yes, and I’ve done some traveling. I backpacked across Australia when I was 19. I went to just about every school in Buffalo, whether it was public or private. I went to School 30 on Elmwood, Elmwood Franklin, Park School. Campus West.

56. Cathedral School. Canisius. O’Hara. Lafayette. I dropped out of Lafayette High School. I went to Buff State for two and a half years.

PT: Why so many?

TC: Different situations. Partially financial. I was one of seven kids. At times my parents couldn’t afford to send us to private schools, although they wanted to. I was an entrepreneur when I was 13. When I was 11, I had a lemonade stand.

PT: Was it difficult for you to make friends?

TC: No. I knew people all over the place. Since I was a little kid, I was always dealing with adults. My lemonade stand was at Hodge and Elmwood. I had a sandwich board business where I walked around with signs. You guys did some great stories on it, back in ’83 and ’84. Streetwalkers Unlimited Advertising.

PT: What is the key to sandwich boarding?

TC: It’s like anything else. Persistence, hard work, loving what you do. Location. You have to worry about inclement weather when you’re walking around with those big signs and you weigh 110 pounds. When the wind came around, you could pretty much fly away if you weren’t careful.

PT: Talking to you, I feel like I’m in a hurricane.

TC: We have a lot going on. I’m excited about life, and about what we do. We wake up every day and try to make the world a better place. We want to make a difference—even in Buffalo, N. Y. I keep saying “we.” My wife, my soul partner. That’s how we get through some of the stressful things—together.

PT: Were you a Boy Scout?

TC: No, but I was a campfire cook. PT: Who molded you?

TC: When I was 13, I befriended Rick Naylon over at Jimmy Mac’s. I counted the cigarette change and lied to his girlfriends for him. I learned the fundamentals of what to do and what not to do in the businesses. He was a class act.

PT: What aren’t you good at? TC: My weakness is empathy. Dominance and influence are supposed to be my strengths. I’ma showman. I play guitar. I sing. I love entertaining people, making them happy. I love fixing things, understanding how they work, whether it’s an old Land Rover to the Steer, which was a broken-down mess.

PT: You have down time, right?

TC: Not really. I go on my boat. I love to fish, and explore the waterways of Buffalo.

PT: What will be your first public office?

TC: I think we need good politicians, but I don’t know if I’m one of them. I think it would scar me too much.

PT: Did you get your souvenir from the Aud yet?

TC: I did—about 1,500 pounds of sandstone. The plan is to put it behind my wood-burning stove. It’s a tricky stone to work with. I can work with brick and block. I was a brickie’s laborer growing up. I’ve done all kinds of jobs.

PT: Have you picked strawberries?

TC: No, but I picked potatoes in Montana. I was a ranch hand. I set posts, fed the bulls, moved cattle. I also worked at a music store and learned how to repair guitars.

PT: Your next birthday will be your 40th. Any plans?

TC: Uh-oh. I’m starting to hit middle age? We want to do more. I had the nice cars earlier. Now I drive a Ford pickup. I don’t care about that stuff. I care about having a safe home.

PT: If you were to finish school, what would your degree be?

TC: I’m waiting for that honorary doctorate.

PT: What is out there that you have not done?

TC: Haven’t written a book. Everybody’s got a book. A children’s book would be nice and then an adult book. If I ever break my leg or something, and I can’t get around my restaurants, I’ll take the time to write a book.

PT: It’s morning. You pick up the newspaper. What do you read first?

TC: I used to open to the auctions to see what was going on. My neighbor was a mortician. He’d wake up and open to the obituaries. The blotter. Safety in the University District is my No. 1 concern.

PT: Where do you do your best thinking?

TC: In the shower. Or on the lake. Around water, whether it’s a pool or a lake or washing dishes.

PT: Will you retire in Buffalo?

TC: