Daniel Brothers

The Daniels Brothers Super Service Station opened in 1929 as the third outlet for the Des Moines-based auto supply and service chain founded in 1919. This brick-and-stone-accented super service station with Tudor Revival touches is an auto row property type described as a department store for vehicles. This flagship operation was designed to effectively use a sloping corner lot while providing a retail tire and battery storefront, upper-level wholesale/distribution sales office, gasoline pumps on a paved court with attendant stand, and spacious rear auto repair garage with car wash that inserts into the northern slope. Daniels Brothers continued operations in the building until the early 1940s. The building is a contributing resource to the newly listed East Des Moines Commercial Historic District (NRHP 2019), and remained in auto-related use through the district period of significance, circa 1873–1959. 

Beginning in the early 1960s, the building was remodeled for various light industrial uses. Some exposed areas were covered with typical cover-up materials (carpet, wood paneling, dropped ceilings). The large garage bay facing E. Grand (with internal ramp) was infilled with masonry and storefront glazing. The storefront window transoms were covered on the exterior and blocked by interior HVAC. The office was converted to an apartment and metal egress balcony stair added. In response to crime, approximately 14 steel windows and at least two doorways that provided light and access to the rear auto garage were bricked shut. And dropped ceilings were installed including covering the rear steel trusses. 

This corner semi-attached building with small front parking lot was vacated after the long-time owner-occupant retired, leaving 8,347 square feet of commercial space available within the East Village neighborhood of Des Moines. The rehabilitation process revealed and re-established historic finishes and features. The new floor plans honor historic uses and divisions of space: The retail storefront returned to retail use with the existing partial basement (tire/battery storage area) ramped down to accessible restrooms; the front paved area (gas pumps) serves as a patio with food truck parking and a walk-in cooler (gas attendant stand). The upper-level apartment (office) was retained and reconfigured, with access through the existing exterior stair. The rear multi-use service station was subdivided into three tenant spaces using existing pilasters, trusses, and masonry walls to locate demising walls; a shared restroom is located within the original car wash bay. Existing windows and doorways were re-opened, and two new doorways were inserted into existing window openings. Work included: removal of cover-up materials, plaster repair, window rehab, new custom windows to re-establish missing/damaged historic wood windows based on historic photos (arched door transom, office oriel window, and divided-lite office windows), concrete floor repair, steel truss-work cleaning, roofing, and site work. Photographer: Cameron Campbell