We spent Saturday afternoon in downtown Minneapolis. It is not a frequent outing for us but my husband suggested we go visit Macy’s before it closes. It was a great idea. I have fond memories of the store. In high school, my girlfriend and I would often take the bus downtown for fun and explore Dayton’s, the name at the time, and ride the elevator to the 12th floor to use the bathroom which seemed unique and elegant to us. We would have fun looking around on all the floors but not buying anything.
And for a short while I worked downtown Minneapolis and I would go to Dayton’s on my lunch hour so I had some familiarity with the store back then.
I do remember buying my first purse at Dayton’s when I was in junior high. It was a navy blue, leather purse on Dayton’s first floor, just off 7th street entrance. I’m pretty sure I paid $6 for it- which was a lot of money at that time. In my mind I can still see it on display. I have always liked purses so maybe that’s why it stands out in my memory.
On Saturday we parked in the 7th street ramp, walked trough Macy’s shoe department to the elevators. I wanted to go to the 12th floor to see the bathroom (I knew we missed eating at the Oak Grille since closed for good a month ago) but I didn’t know the 5-12 floors were closed off for good. So we got off the elevator on the fourth floor where there was a huge “garage sale” of all behind the scenes equipment and props…including those from the flower shows and Christmas displays. Everything was still expensive, even at the sale prices, but it was fun to look around.
I was surprised to see how many people were shopping. We walked around the floors that were open to us and I took a couple of photos inside and out.
Although I never shopped there much I will miss Macy’s (still Dayton’s in my mind)…especially the flower show in the spring and the 8th floor Christmas display.
The Nicollet Mall is under construction right now so the statue of Mary Tyler Moore was not in its usual place. The mall will never be the same again…hopefully something will move into the beautiful building that has been an anchor in downtown Minneapolis since 1902.