Dayton Arcade restoration reaches finish line with North Arcade opening 

The retail marketplace inside the historic Dayton Arcade’s North Arcade is scheduled to open in March, marking the completion of the multi-year restoration of the nine-building complex in downtown Dayton. 

The North Arcade will feature approximately 7,500 square feet of retail space designed for small businesses and local vendors. The marketplace is located along West Third Street beneath the restored skylight and iron framework that define the building’s original architecture. 

Among the tenants opening in the space is Smales Pretzel Bakery. The pretzel shop previously operated inside the Arcade decades ago and was a well-known downtown business. Its return to the Arcade connects the new retail marketplace with some of Dayton’s classics businesses. 

Other small businesses are expected to include restaurants and other food vendors, specialty retail and service providers as part of the marketplace’s mix of tenants. 

The North Arcade also houses the new AC Hotel by Marriott Dayton. The hotel occupies upper floors of the building and includes a distinctive top-floor suite located beneath the structure’s copper roof. The suite utilizes the uppermost level of the historic property, offering views of downtown Dayton. 

The opening of the North Arcade retail marketplace represents the final phase of the Arcade’s redevelopment, which has added housing, office space, event venues and hotel accommodations to the long-vacant property. 

With retail tenants preparing to open their doors in March, the full restoration of the Dayton Arcade complex will be complete, returning commercial activity to one of downtown’s most prominent historic buildings.