Wall, SD - Hitting the Wall

I don’t know if you’ve heard of Wall Drug in Wall, SD but it’s as iconic as South of the Border in South Carolina, just south of the North Carolina border. But, Wall Drug is a lot easier for us to get to since it’s actually on our route today. Our plan was to get to Wall, SD, stay overnight in their parking lot, visit and then move on down the road to Sioux Falls, SD. The journey was typical South Dakota, rolling hills, golden grains, not a tree in sight and it goes on forever. You climb up over one small rolling hill, surrounded by golden grasses only to see another hill surrounded with golden grasses and a grey ribbon running from one to the other as straight as a bowling lane. Let’s follow that ribbon, I say, maybe it will lead to something exciting and all we find is another rolling hill.

But, then we found Wall Drug in Wall, SD. Interesting story about its founders, Ted and Dorothy Hustead. Ted Hustead had graduated from pharmacy school, had worked for two different pharmacies but had dreams of owning his own store. He and his wife, Dorothy, traveled throughout Nebraska and South Dakota in their Model T, looking for the perfect town for them. They had several criteria: it had to be a small town where they could know everyone on a personal basis and it had to have a Catholic Church so that they could go to mass every day. Finally they stopped in Wall, SD which fit all of these criteria and they decided to move - in 1931. But, you know, it was the Great Depression, not an auspicious time to open a business, especially in a small town where there are few possible customers and most of them are broke. Their family called Wall Godforsaken, the middle of nowhere, no place to raise a family. But they saw their place and bought it. For 4 years they struggled along, filling one prescription at a time and working hard, They loved the town and certainly wanted to stay but were wondering if they could make it.

Their family had grown, they had two kids and their 5-year lease was up at the end of the year. It was July, it was hot and there was no business. Dorothy decided to take a nap but returned shortly after she had left the store. She had not been able to sleep with the rattle and noise of all the cars driving west past Wall looking for something better than what they had out east. And this gave her an idea. ‘What is it that those travelers want after driving across that hot prairie? They’re thirsty. They want water. Ice cold water. Now we’ve got plenty of ice and water. Why don’t we put up signs on the highway telling people to come here for free ice water? Listen, I even made up a few lines for the sign:

        ‘Get a soda

        Get root beer

        Turn next corner

        Just as near

        To Hwy 16 and 14

        Free Ice Water

        Wall Drug”

Well, why not, nothing else was working, why not try this? Over the next few days, they made up some signs just like the old Burma Shave signs.

        Every day

        We do our part

        To make your face

        A work of art

Ted put them up along the highways and, when he returned to the pharmacy, there were people waiting in line for ice water.

        ‘Could I have some for granny, she’s in the car.’

        ‘I’ll take an ice cream cone with that water.’

        ‘Do you still have some root beer?’

        ‘Do you have any aspirin?’

And, so on. Not only did people come for the ice water, once they were there, they bought other things. Well, of course, that was the plan. At the end of the day, they were out of ice cream, out of ice and plenty tired. But - it had worked. They had drummed up some business and made more money than they had the previous day.

The next summer they hired 8 young women to help them in their store. And, it’s been growing ever since. Today it’s a zoo - well not a zoo really but there were people everywhere: the shoe and boot shop, the book store, the drug store, the ice cream shop, the rock shop, the pottery shop, the donut factory, the belts, purses and leather goods shop, the jewelry emporium, the food court and - the free ice water table.

Ted and Dorothy Hustead had learned that no place was Godforsaken and that no matter where you live, you can make money by providing what people want and need.

Gary and his family had stopped here when Gary and his sister Cathy were young-uns and had their picture taken by the Wall Drug dinosaur. That’s Darlene, Big Gar, Lug and Cathy. Maybe Cathy won’t read this one particular blog.

Today, Gary wanted his picture taken so he could text Cathy his new picture near the dinosaur. It had been moved to be nearer the highway and had been recently painted and all spiffed up.

We parked our RV in the lot where the other RV’s were but noticed a sign that said that there was no ‘camping’ allowed per ordinance 60-B. However, at this time, we wanted to take a break, eat some lunch and have some ice cream. After that we began to look for a campground. We found one nearby, moved the RV and camped. I know that the town wanted to protect their campgrounds run by local citizens but, in the end, since it took time to find the campground, move and park, we spent far less money in town than we might have had we been able to boondock in their parking lot. And, the next day, we were off early, rather than spending time at breakfast in town.

However, we did have a few minutes to tour Wall Drug. We wandered around a bit, exploring the stores and finding some 1500 marvelous pictures in the back building.