Dayton's has roots in R.S. Goodfellow & Company, a dry goods business founded as Goodfellow and Eastman in 1878.[1] George Draper Dayton constructed a six-story building at Nicollet Avenue and Seventh Street in 1902 and convinced Goodfellow's, then the fourth-largest department store in Minneapolis,[2] to become the tenant. The Goodfellow's store opened June 24, 1902, and Reuben Simon Goodfellow retired shortly thereafter, selling his interest to Dayton, who financed and partnered with George Loudon and J.B. Mosher. By 1903, Dayton had bought out both partners and renamed the store Dayton's Dry Goods Company, which he ran with his son, Draper Dayton. In 1911, the name was changed again to The Dayton Company.[3]
Like most regional department stores, Dayton's had major annual sale rotations that they became known for; Jubilee Sale, Daisy Sale and their Anniversary Sale, besides the standard White Sale that most department stores had in January.
In 1962, Dayton's rode the wave of a new era in retailing (discounting) by opening the first Target store in suburban Roseville. It would become a national chain that would end up surviving the original business.
In 1966, Dayton's opened the first B. Dalton Bookseller in suburban Edina.[4]