A retired Akron firehouse in Wallhaven may soon trade sirens for something a lot more neighborly. Lana and Brendan Jeter, a pair of Akron landlords, plan to convert the former Fire Station No. 12 into a family-friendly community hub with a name that's already picked out: the Wallhaven Hop Shop.
According to the Akron Beacon Journal, Deputy Director of Economic Development Sean Vollman said the Jeters plan to turn the property into “a family friendly community hub.” The newspaper reports the station was decommissioned and replaced more than a year ago. Details on what the Hop Shop will actually offer have not been spelled out in the reporting, and no opening date has surfaced.
A Firehouse With 70-Plus Years of History
The old station was built in 1952 and served the community for more than 70 years, the Beacon Journal noted in its coverage of the property going on the market. It was then replaced by a newer facility at 112 S. Hawkins Ave. That handoff left the Wallhaven building empty and available for a new chapter.
Last fall, the city put the old station up for sale to developers. The Beacon Journal reported that Akron was open to redevelopment that either repurposes the existing building or razes it in favor of new construction. Proposals were due by 3:30 p.m. on Nov. 5.
What the City Said It Didn't Want
Akron also drew some lines around what could go on the site. Per the same coverage, plans for gas stations, billboards, parking lots, vape or smoke shops, car lots or automotive service uses would not be considered. A family-oriented gathering spot sits comfortably outside that list.
Akron's own announcement of the sale effort is available on the City of Akron website.
Not the First Firehouse Reborn
Ohio has seen this kind of adaptive reuse before. In Granville, The Reporting Project noted that Three Tigers Brewing Company found a new home in what used to be the village's fire house, with a grand opening on a Friday, April 1, after soft-launch hours earlier that week.
For Wallhaven neighbors, the big questions are still what the Hop Shop will look like and when its doors might open. As more details emerge, the old bay doors on Akron's west side may finally have a clearer future.
