Last Friday I attended the reveal of the new retail spaces inside the Dayton Arcade’s restored North Arcade. It was striking to see such a large crowd gathered inside a landmark that sat vacant for decades.
I have been covering the Arcade’s story for years, from abandonment and stalled redevelopment attempts to the construction work that has gradually brought parts of the complex back to life.
Walking through the finished retail corridor with so many tenants in their actual storefronts offered a much closer look at the Arcade’s next chapter than had previously been revealed during special events like Holly Days.
The entrance to the North Arcade retail concourse is located at 24 W. Third Street, just inside the Third Street Arcade Building across from Courthouse Square. And most of the time you can also enter from the entrance on the other side of the block at 35 W. Fourth and walk through. (The only exception is when the Rotunda is closed for a private event, during which the Third Street entrance is the only one that will be open.)
The retail area includes a lineup of small local businesses, some already open and others still preparing their storefronts.
Below is a guide to what visitors can currently find inside the Arcade, along with a few businesses expected to open later.
North Arcade Retail Hours
Wednesday through Friday: 10 a.m. to 6 p.m.
Saturday: 9 a.m. to 3 p.m.
Shops Now Open in the North Arcade
Several businesses are already operating in the new retail corridor beyond the grand opening and one-off special events.
Smales Pretzel Bakery – A local pretzel business offering freshly baked pretzels and other baked goods.
Pink Moon Goods, Too – A curated shop focused on sustainable and ethically produced home goods, gifts, and lifestyle products.
Maria’s at the Market – A specialty food shop featuring locally sourced gourmet items including Amish jams, jellies, butters, pickled goods, and granolas.
Luke’s Custom Cakes – A bakery specializing in custom desserts, decorated cakes, and other sweet treats.
Businesses Opening Soon
Several additional storefronts are still finishing construction and will be open at a later date.
Road Runner Espresso Bar – A coffee shop that will add another casual gathering spot inside the Arcade complex.
Tiffany’s on Third – A boutique dry bar offering beauty services such as styling and other salon treatments.
Willow Rust – A shop specializing in handcrafted wood furnishings and personalized engraved gifts including shelves, tables, and keepsake items.
Invoke LLC – A food vendor originally located at the 2nd Street Market, which focuses on healthy foods including vegan, vegetarian, and gluten-free options.
Other Businesses and Retail Inside the Arcade
The North Arcade corridor is only one part of the growing mix of activity inside the larger Arcade complex.
Nearby tenants include The Contemporary Dayton, whose CoSHOP sells small works of art along with home goods and accessories created by artists from Dayton and the Midwest.
Restaurants such as Table 33 and Lucho also offer some retail items including packaged food products, bags of coffee, and wine.
Shopping Returns to the Dayton Arcade: A Landmark Reconnecting to Daily Life
The Dayton Arcade first opened in 1902 as a multi-building complex anchored by its famous glass rotunda and a network of interior corridors filled with small merchants.
For much of the twentieth century it served as one of downtown Dayton’s busiest shopping destinations before closing in 1991 during a period of steep downtown retail decline.
Today the complex has been gradually reopening with apartments, offices, a hotel, and restaurants, but for generations of Daytonians the Arcade was first and foremost a place to browse small shops.
With the new North Arcade retail spaces now opening, that experience is finally returning after more than thirty years.
The scale is smaller than the historic retail era when the rotunda was also packed with shopping destinations, but the return of everyday businesses inside the building is an important milestone in its long restoration.
For more on the Arcade’s rich history and the other phases of redevelopment, read my article here:
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