Locals Bar & Stage is 'bringing entertainment back' to Walnut Street

Locals Bar & Stage, a new venue in Des Moines’ Walnut Street. — Jo Allen/Little Village

You could say it has risen out of the rubble — a long-awaited, much-needed presence in the neighborhood. Locals Bar & Stage is helping bring Walnut Street in Des Moines back to life.

The area has suffered some losses: the shutdowns of the Gas Lamp, Vaudeville Mews and other downtown establishments have left the area devoid of the lively entertainment scene it previously possessed.

But for its founders — Anthony Basquez, Sid Juwarker, Eli Berry and Ben Norris, a group of four longtime Des Moines locals — Locals Bar & Stage is the solution to the community’s need for live entertainment and gathering space.

Norris’s commitment to Walnut Street began when a food truck he started in 2012 settled into a brick-and-mortar restaurant, The Walnut, located not far from Local’s. “We wanted to make sure the street continues to move in a positive direction and stays vibrant,” Norris said. “So I decided to go in with some partners on opening Locals.”

Locals Bar & Stage, a new venue in Des Moines’ Walnut Street. — Jo Allen/Little Village
Locals Bar & Stage, a new venue in Des Moines’ Walnut Street. — Jo Allen/Little Village
Locals Bar & Stage, a new venue in Des Moines’ Walnut Street. — Jo Allen/Little Village
Locals Bar & Stage, a new venue in Des Moines’ Walnut Street. — Jo Allen/Little Village
Locals Bar & Stage, a new venue in Des Moines’ Walnut Street. — Jo Allen/Little Village

The building, formerly TeeHee’s Comedy Club, had sat empty for about a year. When the opportunity came up to open the dive, it felt right. “The neighborhood had lost a couple of bars that were known for live music,” Norris said. “So bringing entertainment back was good for all the restaurants and businesses on the block.”

Though Norris explained it as more of a turnkey operation than building a restaurant from scratch, the space still needed a facelift — a vibe. “It’s a dive bar with a stage that gives the local community a chance to sing karaoke or play their own original music,” Norris said. “[It’s an opportunity for] up-and-coming bands to get a chance to play in front of their friends and the community, but we’re trying to be as laid-back as possible.”

That simplicity is core to Locals’ identity; “keep it simple stupid,” as Norris puts it.

With a capacity of under 200 people, the venue fills a specific niche in Des Moines’ music scene: intimate, but professional enough to give artists a real platform. Particularly a platform for enterprising artists wanting to break into the scene. “[Locals is] an amateur stage for artists just beginning,” Norris said. “It’s the stage between the garage and the grandstand. It creates the opportunity for amateurs to give everything a shot.”

MFKS performs at Locals Bar & Stage in Des Moines on Friday, Sept. 19, 2025. — Jo Allen/Little Village

Fridays and Saturdays offer free live music, showcasing local, regional and occasionally national touring acts. Norris said there may be shows that will cost money, depending on the popularity and booking costs of certain artists, but you can count on consistent free shows.

In addition to live music on Friday and Saturday evenings, Locals has a weekly programming schedule that reaches out to different parts of the community. Wednesdays features “Party Party,” a high-energy live band karaoke with guitar, bass, drums and hundreds of songs to choose from. “You can sing like you’re the lead of a real band,” Norris said.

On Sunday mornings, Locals transforms into a faux sports bar with walking tacos, breakfast pizzas and all the games. Sunday night sees the stage open for musicians to jam, collaborate and experiment in a low-pressure open mic setting. Open mic comedy nights will become a weekly Thursday staple.

Though Locals is only a few months old, Norris and his colleagues aren’t rushing to define it. “Consistency and predictability are important, but we want it to grow organically,” Norris said. “We’re always going to be open to evolving and becoming the bigger, better version of ourselves, day by day.”

Still, they have some standards. “We’re not big on cover bands,” Norris said. “Other than karaoke, we really want people to play their own original music. We want to be a place where you might just stumble on your new favorite band.”

Whether you’re grabbing a drink, jumping on stage or soaking up the sound, Locals invites Des Moines to show up and be part of something.