All Titles

"Newsweek" called Dayton's the "swingingest spot in Minneapolis," and almost anyone living in the Twin Cities during the twentieth century has an anecdote to prove it. At Dayton's, you could buy a cashmere sweater for a song during an Anniversary Sale or commission a Persian silk dress for a society wedding. You could attend an eighth-floor extravaganza like "Santabear's First Christmas "or catch the occasional circus. Dayton's was the job that put many Minnesotans through college or the career that took them to retirement. From its early days as an innovative dry goods store to a trend-setting company that grew into the retail giant Target, Kristal Leebrick chronicles ten decades in the life of a Minnesota enterprise that defined style, good service and philanthropy.

When Candyland opened its doors in downtown St. Paul in 1932, it was called Flavo Korn and sold mainly popcorn to office workers and the throngs that lined up outside the many sparkling downtown movie palaces. Streetcars plied the brick-paved streets before giving way to buses, and the corner of Wabasha and Seventh Streets was considered the heart of St. Paul and the city's own movie row. The movie theaters and streetcars are long gone, but over the years, Candyland has survived momentous social change and urban revitalization efforts to become a destination for generations of visitors lured by the store's signature popcorn blends and delectable homemade chocolates and fudge.