Family brings music to rural Iowa town by restoring historic building

The message of the song "Brighten The Corner Where You Are" resonates with the Brown family. After touring the globe for 22 years, the musically gifted group decided it was time to find a home base. That dream brought them back to their hometown of Le Mars, Iowa, where they revitalized several historic buildings and created a unique draw for the community.

The Browns' story begins nearly 140 years ago, when Charles Brown homesteaded the family farm southwest of Le Mars. In 1975, his great-grandson Keith Brown became the fourth generation to lead the operation.

Through the years, hogs and cattle were raised alongside row crops. Today, the operation focuses on growing corn and soybeans.

A House Filled With Music

The century farm is also where Keith and his wife, Shelly, raised their four children — Jessica, Michaela, Adam, and Andrew. Because Shelly grew up in a home filled with music, she wanted to foster a love of music in their children.

"It was my grandmother who nurtured a love for song and music," says Shelly, who pursued a degree in education and music at Westmar College. "I sang with my two sisters in high school and then with two of my best friends in college. When Keith and I started dating in college, I would drag him to my concerts."

After the couple married, Shelly formed another trio with two women from their community.

"As the kids came along, they were surrounded by music. We live 12 miles west of Le Mars, so every time we drove into town we would sing," Shelly says. "A college friend suggested I teach the kids singing parts. I would sing the melody. They would start singing with me, and then I would drop down to the harmony."

It didn't take long for Shelly to realize her children had talent. The soundtrack of their childhood was brimming with Southern gospel music, a genre filled with messages of love, understanding, and compassion.

"We started out simply, singing for Grandma and at our church," Shelly says, adding that from time to time the kids would also sing a song or two with her trio.

In 2000, Shelly faced a dilemma. After a decade together, one woman in the trio decided to leave the group, but there were still engagements that had to be fulfilled.

"I felt an obligation to keep those commitments and thought maybe the kids could come along and sing a few songs," Shelly says. "At one of the events, somebody asked if we would be interested in singing as a family.

"I took the $200 we received from our first performance and opened an account at the bank under The Browns," she continues. "It snowballed from there, with one request leading to another."

It wasn't long before the family's calendar began filling with engagements across Iowa. As their popularity grew, so did their travel.

The family has performed at the Americana Theatre in Branson, Missouri, and Dollywood theme park in Pigeon Forge, Tennessee, as well as on Royal Caribbean and Carnival cruise ships among other venues.

Along the way, the Browns began incorporating instruments such as the violin, fiddle, guitar, and drums into their performances.

In 2012, the Browns' oldest daughter, Jessica, moved to Alabama to pursue opportunities with her singer husband, Nick Trammell.

Investing in The Community

Fast-forward to 2015. The Browns had been touring nationally and internationally for 15 years. Traveling about 200 days a year — with its packing and unpacking before and after each show — was demanding.

"We were performing more than 150 concerts a year on the road. We started out in a minivan and eventually purchased a tour bus because we were covering so many miles," Andrew says, noting that the tour bus has logged over a million miles.

As the three siblings got older and thought about starting their own families, the Browns realized it was time to consider a longtime dream — opening their own theater closer to home. For years, Shelly had talked about owning a theater one day.

"When we did a series of shows in Branson, it really gave us the theater bug," Michaela says. "We were able to see what performing in a theater was like, and it really started to stretch us in different ways as musicians."

In August 2015, the family purchased a historic structure in downtown Le Mars. The building was originally the Plymouth County Savings Bank & Trust Co., organized in 1883. Six years later, it would become the German-American Savings Bank. During World War II, the word German was dropped from the name, making it the American Savings Bank. More recently, it had been a law office.

The Browns converted the building into offices, recording studios, and a 150-seat theater for live performances. The renovation unearthed several hidden treasures including a beautiful, boxed ceiling with wood molding, hand-stenciled trim, and an Italian marble wall.

The remodel soon morphed into a restoration. "We wanted to return the building to its former grandeur," Shelly says.

The demolition and restoration meant a lot of sweat equity from every member of the Brown family. While Keith, Adam, and Andrew tackled tearing down walls and false ceilings, Michaela and Shelly pitched in with paintbrushes and decorating ideas, such as the purchase of the circa 1915 chandeliers that hang in the theater.

"Even though they are entertainers, they are also farm kids," Keith says, which means they are no strangers to hard work and more than a little dirt on their clothes.

"In fact, they all have their CDLs and can drive a semi, a tractor, you name it," he adds, noting that Andrew is working toward becoming the fifth generation to lead the family farm.

Some aspects of the restoration, such as repairing and refurbishing the Italian marble, required expertise. The marble had been covered with wood paneling using adhesive and more than 100 screws. While the Browns were able to remove the paneling, filling the numerous screw holes and then painting them to match the color of the original stone meant hiring a specialist.

More than 100 years after it was erected, the building began its new life as Browns Century Theater, welcoming its first guests in November 2015.

"At first, we scheduled nine Christmas shows," Adam says. "They sold out, so we added a few more. In 2022, we booked 38 Christmas shows."

In total, the Browns performed more than 100 shows in the theater last year. Besides their traditional Christmas shows, the family plans to host myriad events in 2023. For example, a Celtic music show is planned for March. An Easter concert will be held in April and a mother's tea in May. Fourth of July will be devoted to patriotic music, while a show in the fall will feature traditional country music.

"The theater makes for a unique attraction to our downtown that draws many tourists to our retailers' front door," says Rob Bixenman, mayor of Le Mars.

Adding to Their Story

Two of the Browns' most recent ventures are kitty-corner to the theater. At the Central Event Center guests can enjoy a homemade meal showcasing Iowa foods.

Attached to the center is the Inn on Central where work on four luxury suites has been completed with more to come.

In 2023, the Browns were recognized by the Le Mars Chamber of Commerce, receiving the Community Impact Award.

"The Browns' vision and private investment coupled with grant dollars have made a lasting impact on our community," Bixenman says.

"We are proud of our community, and we want Le Mars to be a town future generations choose to be a part of," Michaela says.

"When we bought these buildings, God had a plan," Adam says.

That plan, it seems, is to make the most of where they are planted by brightening the corner where they are.