Phoenix-based U-Haul International Inc. is converting a former arts and crafts store to self-storage in North Canton, Ohio. U-Haul Moving & Storage of North Canton at 5655 Whipple Ave. N.W. currently offers moving and packing supplies, truck and trailer rentals, and towing equipment, including hitch and wiring installation. U-Box portable-storage containers and vehicle storage are also available. Renovations are underway to add self-storage units, which will be available this spring, according to a company press release.

The 26.71-acre property includes seven buildings and 397,362 square feet of space. The site formerly housed the Flower Factory, which sold hobby items including silk flowers and holiday decorations. The company shuttered its three locations last fall following owner Christopher J. Mulqueen’s guilty plea for failure to remit sales taxes, according to a source.

The facility is near the new Tom Benson Hall of Fame Stadium, which is adjacent to the Pro Football Hall of Fame. "The location is great. We have a lot of traffic that comes from nearby [Interstate] 77. People can see one of our buildings from all different directions,” said Jessi Beck, general manager.

The opening of the North Canton property was driven by U-Haul’s corporate sustainability initiatives, which support infill development to help local communities lower their carbon footprint, the release stated. U-Haul’s adaptive reuse of existing structures eliminates the amount of energy and resources required for new-construction materials and helps local cities diminish their unwanted inventory of unused buildings, U-Haul officials said.

Established in 1945, U-Haul has more than 44 million square feet of storage space at more than 1,200 owned facilities throughout North America.                                     

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