Southdale

Southdale Center, commonly referred to simply as Southdale, is a shopping mall in Edina, Minnesota, a suburb of Minneapolis. Opened in 1956, it is widely recognized as the first fully enclosed suburban shopping mall in the United States and a landmark in retail design. The project was designed by architect Victor Gruen for the Dayton Hudson Corporation, with the aim of recreating a pedestrian-friendly, town-center atmosphere in a suburban setting. The mall’s interior featured a glass skylight and landscaped concourses intended to encourage lingering and social interaction, helping to popularize the concept of a climate-controlled, indoor shopping environment integrated with dining and services.

Southdale’s development had a lasting influence on suburban growth and retail planning, contributing to the widespread adoption of malls as social as well as commercial spaces. Gruen later criticized the mall form for isolating shopping from urban life, arguing that it prioritized private commerce over public life.

In its later history, Southdale Center has seen changes in its anchor tenants and tenant mix as the retail landscape shifted. Original anchors included Dayton’s (which later became Macy’s) and Sears, with the center continually updating its lineup and undergoing renovations to adapt to changing consumer tastes and competition from online shopping. Today, Southdale remains a regional shopping destination in the Minneapolis area, with a diversified mix of stores, services, and experiences within a reconfigured retail environment.