Founder of Target Stores Dead at 88

Transformed family department store into retail empire

MINNEAPOLIS—Douglas Dayton, who led the transformation of a family department store into retailing giant Target Corp., has died at the age of 88.

Dayton's wife, Wendy Dayton, confirmed his death Sunday. She said the resident of Wayzata, west of Minneapolis, died Friday after a long battle with cancer.

Douglas James Dayton was the youngest of George Nelson Dayton's five sons who took over the family's downtown Minneapolis department store from their father in 1948. Douglas Dayton started working in the family business after serving in an Army infantry division in Europe during World War II, where he was injured and received a Purple Heart.