EarthQuaker Devices was founded in 2004 by Jamie Stillman in Kent, Ohio. Stillman was a musician who began designing effects pedals after repairing his broken overdrive pedal. The first EarthQuaker production model was the Hoof Fuzz, released in 2007. Up to that point EarthQuaker was a one-man enterprise but the success of the Hoof meant Stillman was able to hire employees and concentrate more on designing new effects. At this point Stillman was operating a 9-person effects factory from his basement in West Akron, Ohio - the range included the Hoof, Grand Orbiter, Disaster Transport, Hummingbird, and Ghost Echo pedals. They moved out of the basement in 2011 and then again in 2015 into a two story factory employing 53 people making over 40 effects products.

Source: EarthQuaker Devices website (13 October 2019)