LeBron James may not be the biggest thing to hit Akron since the invention of the wheel. But he just might be the biggest thing to hit town since the advent of the tire.

For years, Akron suffered from an identity crisis, what with the Big Three tire companies - Firestone, Goodyear and Goodrich - all having left town. The city was nestled in northeast Ohio between Cleveland, home of the Browns, and the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame, and Canton, home of the Pro Football Hall of Fame.

"There isn't much going on in old Akron these days," said Chris Hutchinson, a bartender at the Thirsty Dog Brewing Co. in Akron. "LeBron's the first celebrity we've had around here in a long time."