The Des Moines Cinema building was opened in March 1947 by Delbert and Wally Osterhoudt to house a 400-seat cinema, retail stores and office spaces.
The cinema over the years has changed hands and had been closed entirely. In 1973, the theater was sold and changed from running family-oriented films to showing adult movies. Local groups picketed the theater in the 1970s, and in the 1980s the city even took legal action.
In the 1990s, the theater reopened under new management and reverted to showing family-oriented films.
It features 1940s decor, snack bar, a stage and shows second-run movies. The theater sits on situated on Marine View Drive and could go almost unnoticed by people driving by.