A bit of nostalgia is coming this year at the Dayton's Holiday Market, courtesy of a famous actress and television show set right here in Minneapolis.
They are stepping back in time this year with a new Mary Tyler Moore "Santa Bear" for sale, and the always collectible Christmas item is sure to be a hot commodity during this holiday season.
"We will be selling the Mary Tyler Moore 'Santa Bear' at a sneak peek shopping experience next Wednesday, the day before we officially open," says Mich Berthiaume, who is the curator of the market.
That also includes some throwback food and beverages harkening back to the heyday of downtown retail, and those long ago experiences at the old Dayton's department store.
"The Nankin Wanders punch, wings, dumplings, a whole assortment of food from the old Nankin," Berthiaume adds.
The Nankin Cafe was a historic, long-running Chinese restaurant in downtown Minneapolis that operated for 80 years from 1919 until it closed in 1999. The spot on 7th and Hennepin was known for its potent, rum-heavy "Wanderers Punch," a drink that inspired local variations across the Twin Cities and kicked off many of memorable - or forgettable - nights for the party crowd.
Berthiaume says you'll also still be able to get some of the old Dayton's classics, which includes their famous wild rice soup, and popovers.
There are more than 100 local vendors taking part this year.
"Such a throwback and just elevating the market," Berthiaume explains. "And each year trying to bring more and more experiences into the Dayton's building and bring more and more people to our beautiful downtown. So yeah, I'm on top of the world. It's so fun."
On the other side of the market, Earl Giles is also back with the Jingle Giles Holiday Bar, serving up festive cocktails and mocktails.
The Dayton's name officially disappeared from downtown Minneapolis in 2001, when the Dayton-Hudson Corporation rebranded the flagship store as Marshall Field's. Eventually, that landmark building on Nicollet Mall became a Macy's, before shuttering completely in 2017.
It has since been redeveloped as the Dayton's Project, a mixed-use space which has struggled to fill its 1.2 million square feet of retail and office space. In the last couple of years, the Dayton's Holiday Market has steadily grown in size and popularity.
2026 marks the sixth year of the holiday market which opens November 12th. The market takes over the street and skyway levels of the building.
Dayton's Holiday Market
- Open daily from mid-November through late December
- Closed Thanksgiving and Christmas Day
- Monday – Saturday: 10:00 AM – 6:00 PM
- Sunday: 11:00 AM – 5:00 PM
- Location: 700 Nicollet Mall, Minneapolis, MN 55402
