A historic dinner theater in Des Moines is undergoing restoration and plans to open again to guests this fall.
Ingersoll Theatre originally opened in 1939 as one of central Iowa's first movie houses to feature sound films. It became Ingersoll Dinner Theatre and operated from 1979 to 2004. It operated as an after-hours club in 2004, closed, reopened as a Cuban restaurant in 2010, and then housed several more short-lived nightclubs through about 2014. In the intervening years, and without a tenant, the building fell into disrepair. The building changed ownership in 2022, when Delaney Enterprises bought the property for $550,000.
Now supported by a $728,818 tax credit, the venue that once faced demolition will undergo a $5 million restoration — which includes its front facade and marquee — and plans to welcome guests in November. Operating as one of Iowa's only dinner experiences, it will offer live music, theater and comedy performances Wednesdays through Sundays.
“This is more than a renovation; it’s a reinvestment in Des Moines,” said Connor Delaney, owner of Delaney Enterprises. “This historic tax credit allows us to protect an irreplaceable piece of the city’s history while breathing new life into the Ingersoll Avenue corridor. We can’t wait for the community to experience this extraordinary cultural hub.”
Delaney is working with VenuWorks, an Ames-based venue management company that also operates the Adler Theatre in Davenport and the Paramount Theatre in Cedar Rapids, to restore the space to fit around 225 guests. The venue will feature a mezzanine, tiered tables and seating, a lounge and bar and better parking.
The theater's first entertainers are expected to be announced in the next few months.
