Dayton Arcade retail marketplace to open in March, marking end of historic restoration

“The Dayton Arcade has always been about community, creativity, and opportunity,” said Mindi Wardell, operations manager for the Arcade. “This next phase opens doors, literally, for residents, students, visitors and entrepreneurs.”

The renovated Third Street Arcade and Gibbons Annex, originally opened in 1904, have been reborn as a small business marketplace, according to a press release from developer Cross Street Partners.

The marketplace, with an entrance on 24 W. Third St., features 7,500 square feet of retail spaces and will include the following tenants:

• Luke’s Custom Cakes – custom desserts and confections

• Smales Pretzel Bakery – a pretzel business

• Pink Moon Goods, Too – sustainable, artisan, and lifestyle retail

• Maria’s at the Market – comfort foods and specialty regional items

• Tiffany’s on Third – boutique dry bar providing high-end beauty services

• Arcade Events – event design showroom

Credit: Tom Gilliam

Credit: Tom Gilliam

Pretzel bakery owner Emma Smales said she’s excited to bring her business back home to the Dayton Arcade.

“The Arcade is such an important part of Dayton’s history, and being part of its revitalization means so much to our family and our business,” Smales said in the press release. “We can’t wait to serve hand-twisted pretzels under that beautiful skylight and be part of the energy bringing downtown back to life.”

The North Arcade’s public launch will be followed by the Arcade Commons on Saturday, March 7, featuring shopping, dining options and other opportunities to explore the new marketplace.

The public opening completes the redevelopment of the Arcade’s nine-building complex. The North Arcade is a product of extensive restoration that began in 2023, developers say.

The historic Arcade sat empty for nearly three decades after it closed in 1991. But after undergoing extensive renovations, it reopened to the public in 2021.

Additional tenant announcements and programming opportunities are expected throughout 2026. The North Arcade retail marketplace will maintain regular public operating hours on Wednesdays through Saturdays, while Rotunda access hours may vary based on the Arcade’s private events schedule, according to the release.