Pretenders' lead singer Chrissie Hynde announces plans for veg eatery

Rock and Roll Hall of Famer Chrissie Hynde announced this week plans to open VegeTerranean her homage vegetarian restaurant in Akron, Ohio, her home town.

Planned for a grand opening in September the restaurant will serve Mediterranean cuisine, favored by the UK singer and of course the menu will include no meat.

Hynde, lead singer of the Pretenders, says she’ll be on hand for the opening, accompanied by an acoustic guitarist as well as some musician friends for a free concert kicking off the event on Sept. 15.

Hynde, who lives in England, has partnered with a local restaurateur to manage VegeTerranean while she continues to tour and record.

Besides being a musician, Hynde is also famous as an active member of PETA (People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals) and a contributor to the establishment of the PETA headquarters in Norfolk, Virginia. The 7th person on VH1’s “100 Greatest Women of Rock N Roll” is also an active and outspoken vegetarian. Hynde, who is a close friend to singer Annie Lennox, had to apologize for her accidental role in a McDonald’s restaurant bombing caused by a misguided fan. Previously, she had jokingly stated that she had blown up a McDonald’s franchise to help advance her vegetarian views.

And, like the famous line from the Pretenders’ song Brass in Pocket says, we agree, Chrissie is “special".