Today is, at long last, the day the Dayton’s Project opens its doors to the public for shopping at a street-level makers market called the Department at Dayton’s. The market features 35 brands—mostly local, independent companies including several new to market that make everything from jewelry and candles to hats, apparel, and crafts.

It’s the first time the historic downtown Minneapolis department store building on Nicollet Mall has been open to shoppers since Macy’s closed in 2017.

We’ve brought retail back to Dayton’s in a way that honors the memory of this historic building and shows a glimpse of its future,” says Mich Berthiaume, retail curator who oversaw vendor selection and development of the market. “If you’re starting to think about holiday shopping, you need to think about The Departments at Dayton’s.”

Here’s a sneak peek:

Dayton’s Project developers plan to run the market for four months, extending it beyond Christmas. Their longterm goal is to fill the skyway, first floor and lower level of the 1.2 million square foot building with permanent retail and restaurants. The rest is designated for office; the first tenant, Ernst & Young, also opened today in a 30,000-square-foot fifth floor suite.

“Our residence at The Dayton’s Project embodies the firm’s commitment to downtown Minneapolis,” Mike O’Leary, EY Minneapolis Office Managing Partner, said in a statement “Our transformed workplace not only means a change to our space itself, but also a change in how we work to support a more flexible, on-demand and agile use of space. The Dayton’s Project and EY US are aligned on the importance of flexibility, collaboration, well-being, and providing technology-enabled and reliable resources to help make our professionals successful in a variety of settings.”

Hours: Monday-Saturday, 10 a.m. to 6 p.m.; Sunday, Noon to 5 p.m.

Best parking: Park and Shop next to Radisson Blu, 35 Seventh St. S. You’ll see signs at the street level entrance pointing the way to the Dayton’s Project

Special events: Pianist Lorie Line will perform at the Departments at Dayton’s  on Monday, Nov. 22 from 11 a.m.–2 p.m. Other live performances, workshops and demonstrations with vendors will take place throughout the holiday season.

Of note: Skyways surrounding the Dayton’s Project currently close at 6 p.m., although that could change soon

To learn more about the project’s winding path to today’s grand opening, read TCB’s October/November cover story.