Uncovering the Connection Behind a Minnetonka Home and the Magic of Dayton’s Holiday Displays

Compared to the flashy mansions of Kenwood or the grand homes lining Lake of the Isles, a smaller Minnetonka house like this one on Tonkawood Road might seem unremarkable at first glance. But even the most modest properties carry stories.

Property field card, August 1, 1978

City of Minnetonka Accessor's Office

Leonard Shimota

Research has revealed that it was once the home of Leonard Shimota and his family, the Dayton’s display designer behind some of the department store’s most iconic holiday exhibits of the 1960s. In a 1961 article about the new downtown Minneapolis library, Shimota described how essential the library was to his work as an artist specializing in department store displays. “Without a library I’d be lost… I never do the same thing twice and each display must include authentic detail. So hardly a week goes by that I’m not over at the library, finding out how things really look.” That commitment to research and accuracy proved especially valuable a few years later when, in 1966, he was asked to create a new display for the holiday season.

Leonard Shimota caught doing last-minute Christmas shopping

Star Tribune (Minneapolis, Minnesota) December 25, 1958

A Downtown Tradition

Dayton’s, a major department store that anchored downtown Minneapolis, Minnesota since its opening in 1902, became especially famous for its holiday traditions. For decades, Dayton’s holiday window displays were a beloved Minneapolis tradition, drawing families downtown year after year. But after the Dayton Company opened Southdale Center in 1956, the first fully enclosed indoor shopping mall in the United States, and as the downtown skyway system expanded in the 1960s, more shopping activity shifted indoors. To keep visitors coming downtown, Dayton’s made a bold move to clear its entire eighth floor and create a 13,000-square-foot auditorium for public events, and the holiday attraction soon found its new home there.

Hennepin History Museum Archive

1966: Dickens' London Towne / 1967: Dickens' Village

In 1966, visitors were treated to a breathtaking display inspired by the writings of Charles Dickens. Designed by Shimota, the exhibit brought Victorian-era London to life with about twenty hand-built buildings and storefronts, each one depicting scenes drawn from Dickens’ stories, thoroughly researched by Shimota through Dickens' writings and historical research. The reaction was immediate. Minneapolis Star columnist Don Morrison wrote that “this year Dayton’s has outdone itself—and outdone any seasonal display I have seen elsewhere.” Morrison admitted he missed the traditional sidewalk windows, but assured readers that “the new display amply rewards a trip upstairs by young or old.”

Hennepin County Library

1968: Under the Giant Christmas Tree

By 1968, Dayton’s replaced the Dickens village with a new theme: Under the Giant Christmas Tree. In an interview with the Minneapolis Star, Shimota explained, “this year we decided to give it back to the children.” The auditorium transformed into the magical world a child imagines while lying under the tree, gazing up at glittering lights and oversized ornaments. A massive tree made of 60,000 hand-cut needles towered above visitors, with 36-inch round ornaments suspended overhead and animated scenes designed to resemble enormous Christmas presents.

Star Tribune (Minneapolis, Minnesota) November 10, 1968

The Dayton's Legacy Today

Today the building that formerly housed Dayton’s department store has been transformed into luxury office space. The developers behind the project, however, realized that the name Dayton’s represents more than just a historic retailer. To honor the legacy, they created Dayton’s Holiday Market, a pop-up space where local vendors and craftspeople can sell their goods to shoppers looking for the perfect gift. Even signature Dayton’s food such as its famous wild rice soup are available for sale. After five years the Holiday Market endeavor has proven so successful that another location in the Southdale Mall in Edina opened.

Minneapolis Downtown Council

What began as research into an unassuming Minnetonka, Minnesota suburban home turned into the discovery of a connection to one of Minneapolis’s most cherished holiday traditions. And perhaps that’s why these stories matter. With all the errands, cooking, decorating, and holiday planning, this season can feel like a whirlwind. It’s comforting to remember being a kid, when the biggest worry was simply waiting for Christmas morning. No matter which holiday you celebrate, what your family looks like, or what challenges you’re facing, having traditions to look forward to can anchor you. Traditions evolve, but the sense of wonder they offer remains the same.