Midtown Exchange, former Sears, Roebuck and Company department store and mail-order warehouse in Minneapolis, Minnesota, USA
The Midtown Exchange is a former Sears warehouse and mail order center built in 1927 in Minneapolis, featuring a 12-story main tower with two-story retail wings. The entire structure spans a full city block and displays Art Moderne style elements in its upper facade with smooth brick walls and regularly spaced windows throughout.
The building was designed in 1927 by architect George Nimmons as a functional warehouse and mail order center for Sears, reflecting the company's retail expansion across America. After the retail operation closed in 1994, the structure remained partially vacant until a major renovation from 2004 to 2006 transformed it into residences, offices, and the Midtown Global Market.
The Midtown Exchange houses the Midtown Global Market, where over 45 small shops and food stalls representing more than 22 cultures serve visitors daily. The space comes alive through regular music performances, dance shows, and art classes that bring the neighborhood together and celebrate different food traditions.
The building occupies an entire city block and is most active in the Midtown Global Market section, making it easy to navigate. Start your visit at the market hall where most shops and food stalls are concentrated and parking is readily available.
The building has a similar twin in Boston that was also a Sears warehouse and underwent comparable transformation. Sears warehouse buildings like this one exist in multiple American cities, representing a connected pattern of industrial architecture repurposed for modern uses today.
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