While perusing Instagram during a midday break, I came across a post that mentioned the grand opening ceremony of Nick Gilbert Way. It is a newly opened public walkway and plaza at the new Hudson’s Detroit site in downtown Detroit. Named after Dan & Jennifer Gilbert’s late son, who died in 2023 from neurofibromatosis, a genetic disorder, Nick Gilbert Way is described as an “activated public space” designed for year-round use.

I decided to head over to the newly installed space to check out the digs, and what I came across took me down memory lane and choked me up a bit. Approaching the space off Woodward is a giant bear with the new Hudson’s logo in gold. The bear is made of plush greenery and adorned with Christmas lights that sparkle extravagantly at night. The walkway, centered between the Hudson’s Tower and the Hudson’s Block building, spans from Woodward to Farmer Street and is decorated as a luxurious winter wonderland with light-wrapped trees and benches and tables for sitting. Nestled along the walkway is Un Deux Trois, a cute coffee truck, and a Hudson stand selling mini donuts.

Hunter green Hudson’s kiosks filled with Christmas goodies from roasted nuts to jewelry to holiday wreaths are lined throughout the space. One kiosk in particular made me hold back tears. Rightfully titled “The Bear at Hudson’s,” they were selling bears with a Christmas scarf and the new Hudson’s logo on its foot. Within moments of seeing the bear, my mind flashed back to my grandmother’s house during the holidays, her Santa Bears lined up on the couch like little seasonal guests in her home.

The Santa Bear line was launched in 1985 during the holidays at Dayton’s by the Dayton-Hudson Company, followed the next year by the launch at Hudson’s. Each year, a bear was launched with a different costume until 2007, when the series was discontinued. For generations of Metro Detroit families, the Hudson’s Santa Bear grew into a beloved holiday tradition. Both kids and parents connected the cuddly bear to the wonder of Hudson’s festive window displays, the excitement of downtown Detroit shopping, and the joyful holiday spirit that defined the season.

Because Hudson’s was such a landmark store in Detroit, the bear also taps into the history of Detroit commerce, consumer culture, and community memory. As the department-store era changed, the bear stands as a nostalgic symbol of that time. Furthermore, the bear’s collectible nature created a mini-collector culture around it, especially among Detroiters who grew up in the 1980s and 1990s. This kind of local cultural artifact links consumerism, nostalgia, and regional identity.

The Detroit Historical Society has several preserved Santa bears featured in its exhibitions, marking a golden era linked to the city’s retail and family holiday traditions. As of this year, “The Bear at Hudson’s” is being reintroduced as a modern reimagining of said tradition, which has folks, such as myself, hopeful they will continue to incorporate new releases each holiday season. Although much smaller in size, the $25 was worth bringing a piece of my deceased grandmother’s holiday tradition into my home.