Text graphic that reads 'A Supper club Rooted int he Legacy of a Des Moines Visionary'.

Black and white illustration of a man pouring champagne into a tower of glasses on a table.

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.

text that reads 'the best nights are still ahead'.

Mother’s Day Brunch

Every family has a version of her.

The one who kept things warm. Who knew where everything was. Who made a meal feel like more than a meal.

We’re opening early on Sunday, May 10th for Mother’s Day at 10AM, for those who made the room what it was.

Book Your Table

Black and white photo of a jazz band performing on stage at the historic Val Air Ballroom, with a man playing a trombone in the foreground, and two other musicians playing saxophone and guitar in the background.

Dance floor at the Val Air Ballroom in West Des Moines, Iowa with many couples, band playing on stage, sign reading 'Music in the Morgan Manner,' vintage style, surrounded by a wood frame.

Photograph of a building labeled 'Valair Ballroom' with trees and utility poles, viewed through a decorative frame.

Black and white photo of an outdoor patio area with empty tables and chairs, a bar in the background, and large patio heaters, enclosed by a white railing, with a tree and hills in the distance.

A historic photo of a man, Tom Archer, wearing a leather jacket and a black hat is riding a small horse drawn cart. Near a white building with the words "VAL AIR BALLROOM" on it, under a clear blue sky in West Des Moines, Iowa.

We hope you enjoy this collection of photos and memorabilia in honor of his legacy. Let the music live on!
— Loyce Archer Dunbar

Quotation text stating 'Right Under The Val Air Ballroom!' in black cursive font on a white background.

Two men, including Tom Archer, in formal suits sitting around a small table with a cake on it, possibly celebrating an event, in black and white.

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."