3 Things I Learned on a Dayton Arcade History Tour

I had a blast visiting the Dayton Arcade to learn more about its history. These tours are free, you just have to make sure to register in advance because they fill up fast.

The North Arcade is Opening Soon

This section of the Arcade is fast approaching the finish line in its renovation. When it’s complete, there will be a Hilton Garden Inn with 93 rooms available on the upper floors as well as space for retail vendors on the first floor.

They mentioned that it is slated to be open in its current state during Holly Days! There may even be a few vendors in there, so make sure to check it out. Holly Days will be December 11-13, 2024.

The Arcade was Once Sold on eBay

At one point, the Arcade went on sale – or rather, auction – on eBay in 2006. A man in Wisconsin purchased it sight unseen to tear it down and ship the antique bricks to another location to use in another project. When he came to check out what he won, he realized the Arcade was way too special and historically significant to use for scrap. This article explains it best.

There Used to be a Big Hole in the South Arcade

The tour leader called the 80s era of the Arcade its “mallification” in that it was renovated to resemble a typical suburban mall. They dug out the middle to make a food court and had escalators and an elevator under the rotunda as well.

It’s been covered over to make it more historically accurate and below it is The Tank, a theatre-in-the-round. TEDxDayton was held there in 2021!

The tile matches the original tile floor, which you can still spot in this little mechanical room/closet.

Is the Dayton Arcade open to the public?

Yes and no. Yes, in that you can visit Gather when it’s open (and soon Table 33!). The Contemporary art gallery also has hours they’re open and you could book time at The Hub coworking space. You can register for a tour of the Arcade itself or 6888 Kitchen Incubator. No, in that you can’t just walk in any door at any time.

If you really want to see the Dayton Arcade in all its splendor, make sure to mark your calendar for Holly Days December 11-13, 2024!