Bruce Dayton
Bruce Dayton | |
|---|---|
| Born | August 16, 1918 Minneapolis, Minnesota, U.S. |
| Died | November 13, 2015 (aged 97) Orono, Minnesota, U.S. |
| Education | Yale University (BA) |
| Known for | Establishing the Dayton-Hudson Corporation, CEO of Dayton's, Founder of B. Dalton Bookseller |
| Political party | Republican |
| Children | Mark Dayton |
| Relatives | George Draper Dayton (Grandfather) and Douglas Dayton (Brother) |
| Military career | |
| Allegiance | United States |
| Branch | United States Army |
| Battles / wars | World War II |
Bruce Bliss Dayton (August 16, 1918 – November 13, 2015) was an American retail executive, businessman, heir to the Dayton's Company fortune, and philanthropist.
Dayton was the last surviving member of the five Dayton brothers – all grandsons of George Dayton, the founder of The Dayton Company – who expanded Dayton's department store founded by their grandfather in downtown Minneapolis from a single location into the national Target Corporation, one of the largest retail store chains in the United States. Dayton served as the chief executive officer (CEO) of the Dayton Hudson Corporation, the company now known as the Target Corporation, before becoming the chairman of Dayton Hudson from 1970 to 1977.
He also founded the B. Dalton Bookseller in 1966. He named the bookstore chain after himself, replacing the Y in his surname with an L. At its height, B. Dalton was the largest retailer of hardcover books in the U.S., with 798 locations. Dayton was the father of Governor and U.S. Senator from Minnesota, Mark Dayton. Dayton was a Republican donor.