Consistency to Uncertainty
What is now known as Quaker Residence Hall was once several thriving businesses. It started out as an oats mill but eventually transformed into a shopping mall, hotel, and now housing for students attending The University of Akron. The famous Quaker Oats Company stood its ground in Akron’s mill for one hundred years. Once the oats business had reached its final days in Quaker Square, though, the building underwent changes, eventually becoming what it is today.
100 Years of Quaker Oats
It was 1872 when Ferdinand Schumacher, inventor of modern-style oatmeal, opened an oat business in Akron that was steadily climbing. In 1886, the oat mills burned down in a fire that could not be extinguished. One year later, the famous Quaker Oats Company stepped in and rebuilt Schumacher’s ruined business. After this point, the oats that were processed through the silos that belonged to Quaker Oats, and the process remained that way until 1973.1
Quaker Square Shopping Center
The once glorious oat silos were brought back to life in 1975. The building was repurposed as a shopping mall with many stores, including an ice cream shop. While the public loved the stores, however, the shopping mall didn’t last.2
Quaker Hilton Hotel
In 1979, the original oat silos were repurposed yet again, but this time, they were turned into hotel rooms. After nine months of construction, the renovations were completed. The old oat silos created 144 hotel rooms. Each room followed the rounded shape of the silo and were fifty percent larger than the average hotel room at the time, which made them a unique place and experience for the public.
Quaker Square Dormitory
While Quaker Square’s hotel rooms were popular, they didn’t last forever. Similar to the shopping mall, the hotel closed down. This time, though The University of Akron took it over. In 2007, Quaker Square was purchased by the University for $22.7 million. The old oat silos now serve as a residence hall for students attending.3
More information on Quaker Square can be found here and here.
Researched and written by Jamie Dombroski, Katie McGormley, and Kassandra Skelly
- Hubbard, A. L. “Schumacher Mill Fire, 1886.” Summit Memory. Beacon Job Department , August 2, 2007. https://www.summitmemory.org/digital/collection/lane/id/35/rec/82.
- J, Mallwalker. “Destination: Quaker Square – Akron, Ohio.” Mallwalkers, June 25, 2018. http://mallwalkers.net/quaker-square-akron-ohio.
- “Akron’s Landmark Quaker Square Hotel to Close Sunday.” Akron Beacon Journal. Akron Beacon Journal, June 27, 2013. https://www.beaconjournal.com/article/20130627/NEWS/306279257