Remembering Akron's Quaker Square
In the 1980s downtown Akron offered a neat little history-themed retail destination housed in the most unique of complexes. Quaker Square was born out of the grain silos built there in the 1930s for Quaker Oats. After abandoning production in the 1970s, the site was re-purposed into a hotel and niche shopping experience themed around oats and the railroad, which still operates just feet from the site.
The 
hotel featured completely round rooms built into the grain elevators. The lobby was furnished with local artist Don Drumm's works, adding a unique Akron flair to the hotel. Today the hotel is a dual purpose facility owned by the University of Akron, which the upper floors being student housing and the lower floors still serving as a hotel to the downtown and campus area.
But for locals who weren't staying over night in the hotel, Quaker Square was about the quaint step into history nestled into a series of nooks and crannies around the grounds. The 1980s was a time throughout America for themed-destination retail shopping ideas. Quaker Square had several levels of shopping and eating that while tiny in comparison to many of the destination malls throughout the region, offered a unique experience unmatched by the big boys.
As with much of the niche-retail marketing in the 1990s, Quaker Square quickly dropped off in traffic and by the 2000's was in dying a slow death. The University of Akron stepped in and purchased the facilities and today with the hotel still being operational and several tenants occupying the office complex section of the site, Quaker Square continues to survive. 
Today the main retail floor offers a bakery, a bagel and quick-mart combination, a book store replete with historical offerings and a museum-like store-front that has train displays and other historic offerings. Wandering towards the hotel is another larger restaurant themed off the railroad, complete with a refurbished miniature train that pulled kids around a short track in places like malls and museums.
While the heyday of Quaker Square was over 25 years ago, the flair and flavor of the facility still reaches out to you. And with a little growth here and a little growth there, it is possible that Quaker Square could become a bustling retail stop in the downtown area yet again. Within a few minutes walk are the most visited part of downtown Akron, including the convention center, library and art museum.
- J.
The images on this page are available in the Akron Originals gallery or by clicking each individually. They are available for purchase as prints or downloaded images.