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Shopping WHITE BEADS DRAPE DOWN PILLARS IN THE DAYTON’S OVAL
Room in downtown Minneapolis. A woman known simply as Madame A rules the floor. She’s dressed in all black and carries an alligator bag the size of a fox. Her hair is pulled back in a tight bun, exposing one white and one black pearl earring. Sales girls often find her in the stockroom, smoking a long, flat European cigarette. Jeanne Auerbacher ran the Oval Room for decades. The space, adorned with petite table sets and glowing lamps, didn’t have a scrap of clothing in sight. One had to ask Madame A for that. She lavished women in the likes of Hattie Carnegie and Gilbert Adrian, the Hollywood costume designer who created Judy Garland’s gingham Wizard of Oz pinafore. Madame A is just one of the many highlights of golden age department store grandeur. Places like Dayton’s were fashion-forward before the phrase had been coined. Even today, these landmark institutions remain important pillars of society, proving that shopping will always hold drama close to the heart. Long before the tap of a button could summon an Amazon delivery van, department stores summoned the masses. In their earliest days in the 1880s, these shops functioned much like a village square, peddling wares like clothing and dry goods. Window displays did double duty as showpieces and a means of preventing overcrowding inside. Through the years, department stores developed a flair for the dramatic. Windows were stuffed with World War II support efforts, Cinderella scenes, exotic animals, famous mannequins and even live celebrities. Attractions like an indoor ski hill drew crowds. Chic tearooms appealed to men with their power lunch potential. Elevator operators donned white gloves. Every detail was just right. The Midwest became a retail mecca thanks to early department stores like Donaldson’s and Dayton’s as well as shopping centers like Southdale, America’s first fully enclosed, climate-controlled mall. Dubbed the Glass Block Store and labeled a “revelation to Minneapolis,” Donaldson’s burst
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Artful Living
REVISITING THE STORIED PAST OF LUXURY DEPARTMENT STORES.
Spree B Y B R I T TA N Y C H A F F E E
gunpowder from the rooftop on opening day in 1889. Trolleys brought marvelers to the five-story building bedecked with plate-glass windows and an interior courtyard. Dayton’s debuted in downtown Minneapolis a few years later in 1902, boasting mahogany floors, green velvet carpet and a private fitting room. A 32-foot soda fountain and candy store sweetened children’s hearts. In 1919, Dayton’s even hired pilots to deliver goods to out-of-towners. Speaking of fast-traveling fashion, Dayton’s was also the first American department store to carry sought-after London youthquake styles. Coveted sixties designer Mary Quant agreed to bring her collection and models to Minneapolis for a show aimed at college students. Because of all the buzz, British fashion sensation Twiggy — 17 and wispy at the time — even showed up to reveal her namesake collection. Savvy retailers quickly realized shoppers would linger longer if they were properly amused and satiated. When it came to show room entertainment, the sky was the limit. The flagship Saks Fifth Avenue in New York City caused quite a commotion when it unveiled an indoor ski hill in 1935. Snow was made from Borax soap. Skiers could learn from top instructors