Donaldson’s Department Store

Donaldson’s, an iconic department store chain, was established by Scottish immigrant, William Donaldson in 1881 with a small store at 310 Nicollet Avenue in Minneapolis, Minnesota.

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Producer: Autumn HaegEditor: Britt AamodtEditorial support: Emily KrumbergerMixing & mastering: Chris Harwood

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Transcript

MN90 Intro: Welcome to MN90: Minnesota History in 90 Seconds.

Donaldson's, an iconic department store chain, was established by Scottish immigrant William Donaldson in 1881 with a small store at 310 Nicollet Ave in Minneapolis. By 1883, William and his brother Lawrence expanded the business by acquiring Colton and Company. After Williams's passing, Lawrence renamed the business L.S. Donaldson Company. By the mid 1970s, the chain expanded to numerous locations throughout the St. Paul - Minneapolis area, including suburban malls like Southdale, Rosedale, and Ridgedale Center. The retail landscape changed dramatically in ‘87 when Donaldson’s were bought out. The Donaldson’s name was retired, and financial struggles continued, leading to the closure of all Twin Cities locations by 1995. The last store in Rochester shut its doors in 2001 and reopened as Herberger’s, which also shut down operations in 2018. Donaldson's memory is alive in Minneapolis, particularly through its appearance in the Mary Tyler Moore Show, commemorated by a statue on the corner of Nicollet Mall and Seventh Street, marking the iconic hat toss scene.

MN90 Outro: MN90 is produced by AMPERS, diverse radio for Minnesota's communities, made possible by funding from the Minnesota Arts and Cultural Heritage Fund. Online at mn90.org.