Tom Archer’s Poor Man’s Country Club is nestled beneath the beautifully restored Val Air Ballroom, in West Des Moines, Iowa.
Our supper club blends history, community, and refined classic dining honoring the legacy of a Des Moines music visionary, Tom Archer. More than a dining destination — Tom Archer’s is a tribute to the golden era of live music, where food, drinks, and nostalgia come together.
We hope you enjoy this collection of photos and memorabilia in honor of his legacy. Let the music live on!
— Loyce Archer Dunbar
Tom Archer (1895-1963) was a major player in the big band and the ballroom movement of the 1930’s - 40’s. At his peak, he operated nine ballrooms across the Midwest, Val Air being his flagship property. He was a founding member of the National Ballroom Association and worked on a national level to improve laws for the music industry as well as fellow ballroom operators.
Upon his sudden death in 1963, a band leader wrote, “No one did more to keep people dancing in the Midwest than Tom Archer."
