The former Fox Bay Theater that anchored Silver Spring Drive in Whitefish Bay for decades is now the village’s new live music and event venue The Argo, set to open on Friday night.

The Argo team, including Adam Powers, Andrew Coate and Josh Bryant, teamed up with the Merchants of Whitefish Bay Business Improvement District to host a sneak peek event on Wednesday. Businesses from the community were invited to tour the redeveloped space, which now features a 700-person entertainment venue, a 200-person private ballroom, and a bar and restaurant with capacity for 150 people.

The Argo’s opening weekend festivities begin on Friday, Dec. 5 with a soft opening featuring performances by local artists Chris Haise Band and Zach Pietrini, as well as Nashville-based alt-pop trio VEAUX. Its grand opening will be on Saturday, Dec. 6 and will feature Goran and Morgan of Milwaukee band The Gufs. Already, over 450 tickets have been sold for Saturday’s event, Powers told BizTimes on Wednesday.

“When I walked through this building for the first time, it spoke to me,” Powers said. “It wanted to be this.”

The space is nearly finished with only some aesthetic updates remaining, including the building’s exterior signage.

Over the past year, the space located at 334 E. Silver Spring Drive, has undergone a $7.5 million transformation. Its redevelopment included leveling the floors from their original theater layout, the addition of windows on the second floor, a complete kitchen remodel, the addition of a mezzanine level and an outdoor patio, and a complete remodel of the main entertainment space.

Guests attending Wednesday’s event were complimentary of the redevelopment. Kevin Buckley, Whitefish Bay village president, noted that the ability to transform the former cinema into its current design required talent and vision, both features of The Argo team.

The Argo has shows and other events booked through August 2026, with more to come, Powers said.