Dayton’s Holiday Windows and Which Vendors will be Included with Open

A couple of months ago we found out what is going to happen with the old Dayton's building in downtown Minneapolis.  This was the flagship Dayton's store, and when the company was bought by Marshall Fields, and then Macy's and eventually closed, it felt like the end of an era.  I remember being a kid and knowing that it was THE high-end store to go to.  When it closed it was just really super sad.

At least the city of Minneapolis knew that it was too iconic to get rid of the Dayton's sign that was embedded into the side of the building.  We heard that there was going to be a vendor's market that would be opening inside part of the building.  Now, we know what or who will be included in the "Maker's Market" and when the official opening will be.  Also, those famous Holiday Store Window displays that Dayton's was always known for, are back.

Get our free mobile app

The Makers Market, known as the Dayton's Project, will open to the public on November 18th.  There will be 33 vendors included.  According to Bring Me the News, those vendors will be these listed:

• Native Roots Radio selling local community radio merchandise
• Teton Trade Cloth, selling beads, blankets, supplies and other gear
• Great Grandmother Mary Lyons, selling Minnesota-made skirts
• Iron Cloud Art Designs, selling art from Arizona
• Winona LaDuke, selling local CBD and help products
• Eagle Thunder Family, selling Lakota beadwork, gear and native language clocks
• Nancy Beaulieu, selling Minnesota-made handicrafts
• William Harjo, selling handmade wooden flutes from Oklahoma and Texas
• Star Quilts, selling northern Cheyenne-designed apparel
• Marion Martinez, selling artisan rings and silver jewelry
• Joseph Wrider, selling handmade silver jewelry
• White Buffalo Prints, selling local wildlife photography
• American Indian Movement, selling official AIM-branded merch
• Rocky Robinson, a self-care brand created to empower Black and Brown girls, telling them they matter
• Joel Kaplan, a watercolor artist and former divisional director at Dayton's Department Store
• Grass Lake Furniture, selling craftsman-style furniture and cutting boards
• Wewerka Photography, selling atmospheric landscape photography
• Handmod, selling handmade art
• Seventeen Birch, selling upscale lifestyle clothing and products
• Herbal Alchemy, selling nature-based skincare products
• Molly Pepper, a sleep-lounge-lifestyle brand
• Minnesota Awesome, selling Minnesota-pride clothing and accessories
• SJC Body Love, handcrafted health-focused skincare products
• Shop in the City, specialty lifestyle gifts and clothing, including Dayton's gear, allowing shoppers to buy Dayton's branded gear for the first time since 2001
• Haceienda San Jose, selling mission-driven high-quality chocolate
• Pigs Eye Pottery, selling pottery and classes
• Larissa Loden, selling handmade Minneapolis jewelry
• Blue Heron Soap, selling sustainable soap products
• Junita's Jar, selling warm and packaged cookies
• Zelba + Mary, selling hand-sewn toys and home goods
• Kobi CO, selling bath and beauty products
• Karen Morries, a renowned milliner
• Onyx Cool, selling cooling medical devices
• Opal Cool, selling women's cooling products
• Giftywrap, selling specialty paper and wrapping

This group of vendors will be located on the first level of the building.  How long will they be there?  That is still up for discussion.  If they are successful, it looks like it could be a long time.  This seems like something they are trying out for now.  Right now the time limit is vague - "several months".  So, basically it's to be determined depending on the success rate.

The holiday display windows will be seen on the same day as the open, November 18th.  They have tried to keep up with this tradition, even though the store was closed.  They did have the display in 2019, but not in 2020 due to the pandemic.  Not sure why it was cancelled for that year, it's not like people could go in and out, it's just something you see in a window.  But nonetheless, it was cancelled last year.