By: Molly Gase

VegiTerranean, a downtown Akron vegan restaurant and bar with an Italian-Mediterranean inspired menu, closed its doors on Sunday due to financial difficulty in the current economic climate.

VegiTerranean had been voted as one of the top vegan restaurants nationwide by Business Week.

“It is with great regret that The Vegiterranean in downtown Akron has closed its doors for the last time,” read a statement on the restaurant’s website.

Owner Chrissie Hynde described the restaurant as a labor of love since its opening four years ago. The restaurant provided many options for vegans and vegetarians as well as those who want to add more variety to their diets. A full bar was also included within the restaurant.

Hynde included a personal thank in her farewell statement you directed toward her staff and all of those who worked to translate dishes into fare appropriate for a vegan restaurant. Hynde had been surprised by the level of response to her restaurant during its operation.

“I discovered that vegan cuisine in Ohio has become more appreciated than I imagined,” Hynde said. Located on the northern edge of downtown Akron, the restaurant was a source of variety for area residents. Chrissie Hynde is also a member of the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame