Dayton's was an American department store chain founded in Minneapolis, Minnesota, in 1902 by George Draper Dayton. It operated several local high end department stores throughout Minnesota and the Upper Midwest for almost 100 years. Although it was regionally known as a high-quality shopping destination, Dayton's is best remembered for starting the discount shopping chain Target. The company was also instrumental in the history of shopping malls; opening the first indoor shopping mall in the United States, Southdale Center in Edina, Minnesota, in 1956. In 1969, Dayton's merged with Michigan department store chain Hudson's to form the Dayton-Hudson Corporation. The Target division of the company eventually grew so large that it eventually absorbed both Dayton's and Hudson's in 2000 and the corporation was renamed the Target Corporation. Target Corporation had acquired Chicago-based Marshall Field's in 1990 and rebranded Dayton's stores as Marshall Field's stores in 2001 in an effort to focus more on discount retailing. In 2006, Marshall Field's was purchased by Macy's turning the remaining Marshall Field's stores into Macy's department stores. For most of the company's history, it was owned and operated by the Dayton family. Dayton's mark on Minnesota remains with three Twin Cities shopping malls started by Dayton's, Southdale, Rosedale, Ridgedale, and the original flagship location still standing. History Goodfellow & Company Dayton's has roots in R.S. Goodfellow & Company, a dry goods business founded as Goodfellow and Eastman in 1878. 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, to become the tenant. Designed by Charles Sedgwick, the building made of brick, iron, plate glass, pressed brick and terra cotta, was one of the largest buildings in the city and had all of the latest displays and innovations, including passenger and freight elevators. The Goodfellow's store opened June 24, 1902, and Reuben Simon Goodfellow retired shortly before, selling his interest to Dayton, who financed and partnered with George Loudon, F.H. Carleton, and J.B. Mosher to run the business. Dayton's Dry Goods By 1903, George Dayton had bought out one partner and renamed the store Dayton's Dry Goods Company. At this time, the company stated it would be known as "Dayton's". After the name change was completed, Dayton's operations were handled by George Dayton along with his son, Draper Dayton, and J.B. Mosher. Mosher left the company in December 1905.