Kyle Munson's Main Street

5 standout 'Back to School' tales signal a rebirth for live storytelling

Iowa Storytellers Project on Sept. 9 at Hoyt Sherman Place brings our decade-old tradition back to the stage.

Sep 5 • 

Kyle Munson

11

August 2025

After 21 years of podcasts, do you hear what has (and hasn't) changed?

From Apple to YouTube. From "Serial" to "Smartless." Some of us spend serious time with our pods and a culture that's becoming more visual and less…

Aug 23 • 

Kyle Munson

10

1

Are you an Iowa trivia whiz? Find out with my 10-question quiz.

Just for fun, here's an Iowa quiz embracing our history, geography, culture--even the cosmic.

Aug 10 • 

Kyle Munson

9

1

July 2025

My visits to the 'world’s largest kitchen' and 'world’s largest neighborhood bar'

Without leaving Des Moines, and thanks to the examples of two friends, I was reminded of the subtle power of those striving to bring us together.

Jul 13 • 

Kyle Munson

19

2

Des Moines, here's your chance to become a live storytelling capital

The Iowa Storytellers Project transforms what had been an end into a fresh beginning.

Jul 5 • 

Kyle Munson

25

June 2025

Digging back into Father’s Day advice, 20 years later

Always clean your shovel. Why? You may regret asking, but here goes ...

Jun 14 • 

Kyle Munson

9

2

May 2025

Warren Buffett’s greatest investment: Clear communication

Dollar by dollar, he built a fortune. Word by word, he cemented his legacy.

May 9 • 

Kyle Munson

13

April 2025

An improbable musical on the virtue of laziness has its world premiere in Iowa

After careers in ice cream and telecommunications, why wouldn't Fred Gratzon also try his hand at ... musical theater?

Apr 29 • 

Kyle Munson

9

We'll miss Jay Byers, who befriended all of central Iowa

The president of Simpson College and former CEO of the Greater Des Moines Partnership taught us to face the future with optimism, persistence, and…

Apr 18 • 

Kyle Munson

28

1

A good sort of spin: Record Store Day returns as young fans sustain old tech

Vinyl LPs are inconvenient, fragile, and exist outside the algorithms. Somehow their vintage charm keeps enticing young music fans to flock to our…

Apr 11 • 

Kyle Munson

11

No meltdown here: Gen X has the healthiest relationship with tech

Gen Xers have been savvy adapters, not woebegone slackers, when it comes to riding the ever-rising digital tide.

Apr 3 • 

Kyle Munson

11

March 2025

A Des Moines centennial worth celebrating

This bedrock cultural institution in our capital city has endured for 100 years—and defied national trends for the second half of its lifespan.

Mar 15 • 

Kyle Munson

3