Video: Chrissie Hynde opening restaurant in Akron

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http://www.mansfieldnewsjournal.com/article/20090329/UPDATES01/90329008

AKRON -- Her goal was never to be a rock star.

 

 

But don't get Chrissie Hynde wrong, being lead singer of her band, The

Pretenders, is not a bad gig.

 

" I really mean it when I say I'm a citizen of the world, " said Hynde. " I'm an

old hippie from Kent State. I just tread my path and I never wander off of it. "

 

Hynde's path has circled back to her hometown of Akron where she has opened a

vegan restaurant and has an apartment.

 

A lot has changed for Hynde and the city that inspired the Pretenders song, " My

City Was Gone " nearly three decades ago.

 

" I had to go away, " Hynde, 57, said. " And I had to be away for 35 years and see

the rest of the world and see how it's done. "

 

Now, Hynde has changed her tune about the demise of Akron and has joined the

revitalization effort in a downtown neighborhood.

 

" In Akron here, we're really trying to rebuild something and make a downtown, "

Hynde said. " That's why we've lost our youth. A lot of people have left because

there's nothing. There's no center. And without a center, a city doesn't exist

anymore. "

 

Hynde is passionate about rebuilding Akron. Lofts and new construction surround

her restaurant, VegiTerranean. It opened a year and a half ago and quickly

developed a following.

 

" It's a great looking place, " said Samuel Salsbury. " And the food is always

consistently good. "

 

The restaurant is vegan only. That means no meat and no animal products,

including milk, cheese or eggs are used in the dishes.

 

It's a lifestyle that Hynde is also passionate about.

 

" For me it's about their health, " Hynde said. " If I get any (nutritional)

benefits from not killing them, I guess that's a bonus. "

 

Executive chef, Scot Jones welcomed the challenge of creating a vegan only menu.

 

" These are fresh, made-to-order entrees made from scratch, " Jones said. " I don't

use cream. I use cashew cream which is made on a daily basis from cashews. "

 

Fifty-two thousand meals later, the restaurant is doing so well that Hynde and

Jones are considering taking it on the road to other cities.

 

Hynde's music opened doors to her around the world. But she now has an apartment

in Akron and treasures the time she spends with her parents who still live in

the city.

 

While screening Pretender songs for a compilation collection, Hynde ran across

the song, " My City Was Gone. "

 

" I hadn't listened to it for many years, the recorded version, " Hynde said. " And

all the things I talked about have kind of come back. And it was a great feeling

for me, because, you know, I love this city. "