Gray Moon Public Market Recognized by Preservation Iowa

Gray Moon Public Market in Newton has been awarded Preservation Iowa’s “Commercial Rehab – Small Scale Preservation at Its Best Award.” 

The rehabilitation converted a former Montgomery Ward & Co. multi-story department store building into an indoor market. The new open-plan layout offers rentable units designed to provide flexible, scalable space for entrepreneurs, chefs, craftspeople, and artists to establish and grow their businesses. Currently, the building houses twenty-one active businesses, including coffee shops, restaurants, and retail stores. 

The building was constructed in 1909 as a two-story, double-wide brick garage on a brick foundation. It operated as a garage, selling and servicing automobiles for 20 years. The building was then remodeled so Montgomery Ward & Co. could lease it for a department store. The Montgomery Ward store closed in 1985.

Following Montgomery Ward’s closure, the building stood vacant for a number of years. The interior and façade became dilapidated and in need of updates and repairs. It was purchased in 2022 by Jerry Schwaller of Ex Nihilo LLC. The building reopened to the public as Gray Moon Public Market in January this year. The rehabilitation project was completed with the assistance of Project Architect Alex Streyffeler, Preservation Architect Scott Allen, both of OPN Architects in Des Moines, and Preservation Consultant Jack Topp, Architect, of Topp Wright Architecture in Newton. 

For more information about Gray Moon Public Market, visit its Facebook page.