About 30 minutes east of Cleveland lies the city of Mentor, Ohio. I've grown up in Mentor, my family has grown up in Mentor, and to this day we even have family living in the same neighborhood as us. Although Mentor is a relatively large suburb home to nearly 50,000 people, it is still a community and I've been fortunate enough to call it home. Here are 11 things that you know if you're from Mentor:
1. "Men-TOR"
It's not surprising that those who are unfamiliar with Mentor pronounce it as the actual word mentor. However, us Mentor natives generally pronounce it as "menner." We just can't help but laugh every time someone says the "t."
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2. When someone asks, "Do you know so-and-so?" chances are we don't.
As previously stated, Mentor has nearly 50,000 residents. People always talk about their hometowns being so small that everybody knows each other, but not in this case. Especially being in college, when someone asks me if I know someone from Mentor, 99.9 percent of the time I do not.
3. So you went to Mentor High, right?
Although Mentor is home to the largest high school in the state, no, I did not attend Mentor High. I cannot begin to tell you how many people have assumed I went to the high school just because I said I was from Mentor.
4. Scooter's Dawg House. Enough said.
Scooter's Dawg House is definitely the hidden gem of Mentor. Located right off Rt 44 before Mentor Headlands, this tiny hot dog shop is nothing short of amazing. They have just about every hot dog you can imagine, and their freshly-made french fries are piled so high that it's nearly impossible to eat them all. Open only in the summertime, they also have an extensive ice cream and milkshake menu that's perfect for a hot summer's day. If you're from Mentor and have never been to Scooter's, I feel bad for you.
5. You've been to Great Lakes Mall so many times that you know where every store is located.
Sure, Great Lakes Mall isn't nearly as nice as Beachwood or Richmond Heights, but you'd be lying if you said you didn't go there all the time when you were a teenager. Whether it was to actually shop or to walk around with your group of friends, the mall was always the spot to hang out. Even stores that are no longer there, we still know exactly where they were (Indians team shop and FYE, I'm looking at you).
6. "It's better in Mentor"
One of the most exciting events to grace the city of Mentor is their annual festival. It used to be called "Better in Mentor" (which I thought was the absolute perfect name), until they broke everyone's hearts and renamed it Mentor City Fest. But the festival still remains the same and better than ever with live entertainment, food from over 20 different vendors, beer and wine tasting, inflatables and games for the family, you name it.
7. You've probably played recreational baseball or softball at some point.
When I was only 5 years old, my parents signed me up for Mentor's recreational t-ball league. After that it was slow-pitch Mentor girls' softball that I would play every single summer. Back then, that's when almost everyone you knew was on one of the teams and it was the most exciting day ever when you got to play against your friends. I also ended up meeting my best friend through one of the rec teams back in 2008!
8. Headlands Beach is your very own vacation spot
Who needs places like Myrtle Beach, Florida or California when we have our very own beach right on the shore of Lake Erie? Headlands Beach is actually quite large, and it's always fun to walk along the break wall and go see the lighthouse. It's a perfect place to go on a hot summer's day when you and your friends can't think of anything else to do (it's Mentor, after all), so why not catch some rays and take a dip in the water, no matter how high the bacteria levels are!
9. Mentor's football and basketball teams
Whenever you tell someone you're from Mentor, one of the most common responses is "Oh, we played your team in football/basketball! You were really good!" Which indeed, they are. It's no doubt that Mentor High is famous for its consistently good football and basketball teams.
10. That feeling you get when you hit every red light on Mentor Avenue
Mentor Avenue is definitely one of the busiest streets to drive on. It seems that whenever you're in a rush to get somewhere, you manage to hit every single red light. And you know just how many red lights there are on that street.
11. It will always be home
No matter if you still live in Mentor or live in another city, state or country, if you were raised in Mentor then it will always be your home. You know this city like the back of your hand, and every time you come home to visit, it never changes no matter how long you're away. It really is better in Mentor!
