Why Not Love Akron?
-or- Remembering The Chuckery
Why do I love Akron?
A better question is: Why not love Akron?
To be an Akronite means a lot of things to a lot of people. For me it simply means Luigi’s, Crest Bakery, Mary Coyle, The Peanut Shoppe, The Christmas Tree Festival at Quaker Square, Café Momus, Dontino’s, Thursday’s, the Odd Corner and of course Akron U. Not the current Akron U (which is amazingly beautiful), but the one where the student union was called the Chuckery. All of these places represent the Akron I grew up with. I cannot take credit for finding these places on my own, however. I have to give credit where credit is due and thank my parents for making a trip to Akron a weekly activity.
I was lucky to have parents that grew up around Akron. I was also lucky for having grandparents who chose to make Tower 80 (or as I liked to call it, the “tall” building) their home for my entire childhood. Restaurants, ice cream, sidewalks, and brick roads are what I remember most of my days spent in Highland Square with my family. I would always say that someday Highland Square would be my future neighborhood, the place I would call home. It seems that someday is now.
For the past three years my husband and I have lived in Portland, Oregon. Portland is amazing, but it is still not as amazing as Akron is in my eyes. Portland is bike friendly, vegan friendly, pedestrian friendly, environmentally friendly… but it is lacking something. It is not Akron. It will never be Akron.
I love to talk about Akron with people from Portland. I have the state of Ohio tattooed on my forearm with a heart where Akron is, and I love it when people ask questions about it. It allows me talk about Akron for as long as they will listen. I talk about the people, the art, the culture and the possibilities. The more I talked about it, the more I realized that I needed to move back to Akron. Portland was fun, but Akron is home. I started to realize that it was just plain silly to have such a deep love and admiration for a city, and yet not live there.
So here I am. My husband and I are moving back and we could not be more excited. I am ready to see Akron thrive and witness the transformations that are soon to come. I am ready to call Akron home again.
Why do I love Akron? I just do. How can I not?
I LOVE your article, I have lived in Akron or its suburbs for 31 years now, my husband also born and raised. I remember the Akron you described, so much it brought tears to the eye.. Great article! We now reside in the Portage Lakes area but I go straight up Main St. all the way through downtown to go to work in the Falls. So much is changing in Akron now, its almost unrecognizable to me in areas and I never moved away, its crazy. I love driving through North Hill and a few other places that still remain somewhat untouched, the University area is absolutely nothing like it used to be. I feel lost there now. Not that I ever went to school there or anything but I did bartend and hang out in the area too much probably during the days of out of control mayday parties and Allyn fests…
By Vanessa Scaffidi on December 12, 2008 at 11:00 am
I like your layout. Have your web guy hit me up.
By damien on January 8, 2009 at 9:37 pm
It’s so gratifying to see another person who loves this city as much as I do! I grew up in the Square; moved away for 6 years for college and my first job, but I couldn’t stay away… this is home and always will be.
I travel for my job and meet a lot of people who raise an eyebrow and say “Akron? Really?”
Yes really! I love it here! I have a running “must-see” list of places and things that I show to all my out-of-town guests… and it’s tremendously satisfying when they nod in appreciation and say “…huh. Well I’ll be damned; it’s a pretty great city.”
YEAH it is!
By Rachel on January 15, 2009 at 10:13 am
PS: Don’t forget Don Drumm Studios!
By Rachel on January 15, 2009 at 10:13 am
The old Student Center at The University of Akron was not called the Chuckery. It was called, The Gardner Student Center and it housed the Chuckery which was one of three eateries in the building and located on the first floor. lots of good memories
By bilbo on January 31, 2009 at 3:59 pm
I enjoyed your article. I love Akron also and I visit when I can. I remember when the Chuckery served beer! They have done an amazing job with the UA campus.
By Brian on December 14, 2009 at 11:33 pm