Former Kum & Go theater now an events center

The former Kum & Go theater has been remodeled and is now open as The Shop DSM Event Center.

Why it matters: The center has transformed part of the historic downtown fire station campus into a rentable, multi-level venue for public and corporate use.

Catch up fast: The site, part of the former Des Moines Fire Department headquarters, was purchased from the city by the now-defunct DSM Social Club in 2013.

• Local business leaders Todd Millang, Tyler Dingel and Paul Rottenberg then partnered in late 2021 to purchase the buildings to redesign them for commercial tenants.

Driving the news: Members of the Local 4 chapter of the International Association of Fire Fighters has formed a nonprofit group that is buying the section of the campus that includes the former theater at Southwest Ninth and Cherry streets.

• The group, "DMFD – The Shop," has renovated the space and is now leasing a section to the local union for offices.
• Most of the rest of the space is being rented for events.

Zoom in: The new nonprofit hopes to use revenues generated from rentals to help further philanthropic causes associated with firefighters, Mike Morgan, president of The Shop, tells Axios.

Of note: Developers believe much of the rest of the fire station campus will be leased in coming weeks for office space, possibly for startups, Millang tells Axios.

• Malo restaurant will continue to operate at the site.

👀 If you go : The Shop hosts an open house with a St. Patrick's Day family-friendly breakfast, March 17 from 7am-noon, event coordinator Mary Brannen tells Axios.

• Local food trucks and a beer garden event follow from noon-11pm.