‘Tis the season to shop locally. About 80 vendors total are bringing their best merch for Dayton’s 3rd annual Winter Maker’s Market.

Jake Sanders, owner of Shop the City, is making his mark again this year at the market in The Dayton’s Project.

“We really lean into nostalgia, so we carry all the Dayton’s related items,” Sanders said.

For the second year in a row, people can pre-register or purchase a limited-edition hometown Santa bear on Black Friday.

“Every year throughout Dayton’s history at Christmas time, they launched a Santa bear on Black Friday; we are following suit,” said Mich Berthiaume, curator of The Departments at Dayton’s.

So far, sales have already exceeded last year’s during the same time. While Dayton’s has 37 more vendors than last year, Keg and Case in St. Paul is seeing a downward trend.

“Unfortunately, there aren’t as many tenants as there used to be,” said Ben Polzin, owner of Bloom Bums Crystals and More.

The holiday market at Keg and Case, which starts Friday, will only see nine vendors.

Polzin hopes to someday sell his work at Keg and Case permanently, but there’s uncertainty with a looming foreclosure sale. Just five years after opening, the owner of the building is now listed under a lender.

“It was packed to the brim. I mean, the brewery was nuts upstairs, lots of people,” said Tristan Barnes. “It’s sad to come back home, especially for me, and see stuff like this, where things are closed.”

Holiday vendors hope that this year, people will turn to local businesses for their gift shopping.

“Unfortunately, when you don’t support local businesses, it ends up showing,” Polzin said.

Hours for the two holiday pop-up markets can be seen below.

Dayton’s Winter Maker’s Market

Open Nov. 16 – Dec. 30
10 a.m. to 6 p.m. on Mondays through Saturdays and 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. on Sundays.

Keg and Case Holiday Weekend Market

Open noon to 8 p.m. each of the following weekends:
Nov. 24-26
Dec. 2-3
Dec. 9-10
Dec. 16-17
Dec. 22-23