Historic Des Moines venue Val Air Ballroom home to new supper club

Sam Summers knew when he bought the Val Air Ballroom in Des Moines, Iowa that the history was just as important as remodeling the music venue. The 80-plus-year-old Val Air needed updates to bring it back to its former glory with modern equipment that made the concerts there memorable yet retained that feel of a room steeped in history.

Now a year after reopening after an extensive remodel, he’s ready to introduce the Des Moines metro to the history of the Val Air, told in black-and-white photos of yesteryear and through food found on the menu of the new supper club built from scratch on what was a bare-floored basement.

Tom Archer’s Poor Man’s Country Club opened on Friday with memories of owner Tom Archer and his family decorating the walls, old news clippings, and a look back at some of the big names who entertained the crowds over the years. The supper club vibe extends from the decor to the food, from executive chef Ryan Skinner.

What to expect with the décor at Tom Archer’s Poor Man’s Country Club

Diners — who can even come in before, during or after a show as well as nightly from Tuesday through Saturday — have three entrances to the supper club: the side entrance, where a turn to the right goes to Work in Progress, the new dive bar, and a turn to the left heads to the maître d’ stand; from inside the Val Air after entering the front door; and through a back entrance. Customers who just want to dine on show nights but don’t plan to head upstairs can come into the restaurant as well.

The dining room splays out from there, with wood-paneled walls and high-top tables down the center of the room. Cozy, burgundy leather-wrapped, U-shaped booths, each with a tabletop light, form an L-shape along the left wall to the back of the restaurant. Glass covers the white table clothes. The low-slung ceilings and exposed concrete are intentionally left to recall the past. Sconces on the wall and the lighting at the tables gives the room a warm feel with their soft amber lights.

On the right, a long bar with its own burgundy leather stools with backs looks out on the dining room. The bar came from West End Salvage, which dates the piece to 1914 to 1917, salvaged from a bar in Illinois. Hand-painted gold leaf on the mirrors highlights the supper club name.

Artifacts line the wood-paneled walls that give the space a denlike feel. Summers pointed out images of the former Club 100 that was in the parking lot that burned down that was once the interim Des Moines Country Club clubhouse. He framed a copy of the lease for that space between Tom Archer and David Fisher, signed in 1940.

“It’s all kind of connected old Des Moines,” Summers said.

On the left side of the room sits a private dining room that was once the Encore Room. Summers converted that space into a place for bands to relax after a show while sitting at a long table and closing burgundy curtains for privacy. He doesn’t plan to seat diners in this area.

The legendary history is told one framed photo at a time. In one booth, legends such as Count Basie, Louis Armstrong and Duke Ellington smile from their signed promo shots. Another features Lawrence Welk, the big band leader, with his friend Archer and photos of the family. Old photos of the Val Air through the years wait to be rediscovered. Old contracts, letters, and flyers for the venue round out some of the memorabilia. It’s a living museum of the storied history of this West Des Moines treasure.

“These are just great. Lots of photos of him fishing with Lawrence Welk,” Summers said. “We’re playing into the lore.”

What’s on the menu at Tom Archer’s Poor Man’s Country Club?

Summers brought on Ryan Skinner — the former chef at Harbinger, one of the 47 restaurants named to USA TODAY’s 2024 Restaurants of the Year — to head up the kitchen, a space shared with Work in Progress. Skinner wanted the menu to reflect a supper club vibe

Skinner emphasized that the menu is not fine dining. “If we start saying that we’re fine dining, we’ll be put in that same bracket as Oak Park, Harbinger or Alba. I want to be in the bracket of Jesse’s Embers, Maxie’s, Noah’s Ark and Christopher’s,” Skinner said. In other words, classic food.

Hospitality comes first and foremost without the formalities of fine dining. The aim here is to create a classic supper club atmosphere, emphasizing quality ingredients and storytelling behind dishes.

Key menu items include popovers made with tallow and baked as they are ordered, chicken liver mousse, French onion soup, and a classic wedge salad with Maytag blue cheese and Nueske’s bacon. Skinner will bake baguettes in house for diners as well. Think prices in the $10 for Yorkshire pudding to $16 range for a classic shrimp cocktail.

The relish tray, which Skinner calls “Midwest charcuterie,” features a “delightful mix of pickled vegetables, meat, crackers and dip” for $11. Classic.

Diners can order dishes such as Archer’s French dip made with prime rib or a chicken Parmesan sandwich for around $15, and each comes with a choice of fries, salad or soup.

Pastas also make an appearance on the menu, with gnocchi made in house, spaghetti and meatballs, or ravioli, all in the $18 to $22 range. Diners can add black truffles, shaved or sliced, to any dish for market price.

The entrees include walleye, a pork schnitzel, mushroom Wellington, and chicken Vesuvio, all served with a seasonal vegetable and in the $22 to $26 range. Beef options, all premium from Iowa, include a filet, New York strip and center cut steak for $28 to $42.

Diners can also opt for additional sides, such as cream of spinach, onion rings, mashed potatoes and more for $5, or go upscale with foie gras mashed potatoes for $10.

Down the line, Skinner plans to introduce prime rib specials, fish fry night and more for different nights of the week.

On the dessert menu, look for boozy cocktails such as a Pink Squirrel, as well as a New York-style cheesecake, crème brulée, and a chocolate cake, all made in house.

The wine list will be short and tight, but those interested can see a bit longer list, while cocktails, of course, will include and Old Fashioned as well as a Wisconsin Old Fashioned.

What’s the history of the Val Air Ballroom?

The Val Air Ballroom reopened last year in February after a reported $14.5 million in renovations. Summers’ company bought the 8.5-acre site at 301 Ashworth Road for $1.9 million in 2022.

Frank Sinatra, Snoop Dogg and former presidents are among the dozens of famous names who walked the concert venue’s maple-wood floor.

Summers co-owns Wooly’s, the 683-person capacity venue in the East Village, and founded First Fleet Concerts, which books the ballroom’s events. He also owns the Hinterland Music Festival, and has a stake in the East Village watering holes Up-Down Arcade Bar and Ernie’s Boondock. He also books shows for the new Vibrant Music Hall in Waukee.

The Val Air originally opened on June 6, 1939, with no roof, giving concert-goers, dancing couples and big bands a view of the sky and the threat of the elements.

Notes on Iowa reported that the first show brought in nearly 2,500 to listen to Ted Lewis play his hit “Me and My Shadow.” At the time, Notes on Iowa reported that “men paid 85 cents for admission, and women only 25 cents.”

The dance hall on a concrete slab earned its name after 2,000 fans submitted ideas. It combines the Valley Junction neighborhood with the open-air venue.

Before that, the Wilson Rubber Factory used the original building and grounds to produce tires during World War I, with the facility closing in 1918.

The venue didn’t earn its rooftop until 1955, reopening with the Henry Busse Orchestra breaking in the Val Air’s enclosed ballroom inside an art deco-designed building replete with hand-painted murals and floral designs, Notes on Iowa reported.

Where to find Tom Archer’s Poor Man’s Country Club

Location: Val Air Ballroom, 301 Ashworth Road, West Des Moines

Contact: 515-855-6797 or tomscountryclub.com

Reservations: tables.toasttab.com

Hours: Accepting reservations from 4 to 9 p.m. Tuesday through Saturday and on show nights.

Susan Stapleton is the entertainment editor and dining reporter at The Des Moines Register. Follow her on Facebook, Twitter, or Instagram, or drop her a line at sstapleton@gannett.com.