History in the Remaking

History in the Remaking

Discover the unique treasures, textures and traditions that fill every corner of West End Architectural Salvage.

By Haley Banwart

If the one-of-a-kind items at West End Architectural Salvage could talk, they would tell spectacular tales from eras gone by – stories of the craftsmen who skillfully hand-carved, etched and assembled the quality materials from which they were made. Listeners would learn of the functional or decorative purposes they served before time altered the aging patina, chippy layers and meaningful imperfections of the pieces.

Centrally located in downtown Des Moines, West End Architectural Salvage is home to an ever-changing collection of carefully curated antiques and an expansive inventory of rescued doors, mirrors, lighting, stained glass and more.

While many of the items give a nod to Iowa’s agricultural roots, rarities sourced from New York, England, India and beyond give the shop an eclectic and worldly charm.

Even the walls of West End Architectural Salvage preserve a storied past. Constructed in 1913 as a grocer’s warehouse, the building now occupies more than 50,000 square feet of unique stock, organized on four floors for customers to shop, wander and explore.

On the lowest level of the warehouse, a team of carpenters, welders and restoration artists craft customized furniture from reclaimed barn wood and other recycled materials.

Don Short, owner of West End Architectural Salvage, says the experience is all about giving people an opportunity to add their own chapter to the story an antique piece can tell.

“From the heating element of a chick brooder reimagined into a light fixture, to an airplane wing transformed into a bar top, our customers bring us their design ideas and it’s our job to make them come to life,” he says.

Don Short, owner of West End Architectural Salvage.

Turning Trash into Treasures

In a disposable age where things are regularly replaced rather than cherished, Short and his crew have found creative ways to salvage the relics and remnants others have gone out of their way to save.

“We’ve always been big on repurposing items and keeping them out of the landfill,” he says.

“There’s a history there that can’t be replaced, and I think people have grown to appreciate it and recognize what we do is of value.”

Before opening West End Architectural Salvage, Short got his start restoring old houses and auctioning off materials he tore out of other homes.

The Marshalltown native and co-owner of the iconic Taylor’s Maid-Rite has renovated 27 houses, including Marshalltown’s 100-yearold, 10,000-square-foot Willard Mansion and two homes on Grand Avenue in Des Moines.

A successful tag sale in 2005 convinced Short to open a storefront. Two years later, West End Architectural Salvage moved to its current location, where today, the space doubles as a coffee house and event venue.

The shop quickly became an Iowa destination after starring in two seasons of the show “West End Salvage” on HGTV.

“Filming the show was great for business, but the real driving force behind our company has always been the support of our customers and the community,” says Short. “It has been the most rewarding aspect of this work – being a part of people’s lives and giving them an experience they’ll never forget.”