Wall Drug Store, South Dakota
Wall Drug Store began as a failing pharmacy in a tiny town during the Great Depression. Today, it spans an entire city block and serves 20,000 customers daily during peak season.
The secret weapon was simple: free ice water for weary travelers.
This is the story of how one clever idea built a South Dakota legend.
An Expensive Mistake During the Great Depression
Ted Hustead purchased Wall Drug Store for $2,500 from a deceased pharmacist’s estate in 1931. The Nebraska pharmacist and his wife sought a small town with a Catholic church to start their business.
Wall earned the nickname “geographical center of nowhere” during the Depression with just 326 residents. The Husteads gave themselves a strict 5-year commitment to make the pharmacy successful.
For five years, customers remained scarce in the isolated town. Ted and Dorothy watched cars pass by on the highway without stopping, their future uncertain.
A Simple Idea Changes Everything
Dorothy Hustead conceived her marketing strategy during the sweltering summer of 1936 when temperatures topped 100 degrees. She realized travelers on dusty Highway 16 must be thirsty during their journeys to Mount Rushmore.
The solution seemed obvious yet revolutionary: offer free ice water to passing motorists. Ted and a local high school student created roadside signs with Dorothy’s catchy jingle about free ice water.
The first customers arrived before Ted returned from placing the signs along the highway. By summer’s end, they hired eight local girls to handle the unexpected rush of customers.
Wall Drug Signs Everywhere
At their peak in the 1960s, Wall Drug maintained over 3,000 highway signs across all 50 states. Ted insisted on wooden signs rather than metal ones, believing wood attracted fewer gunshots.
South Dakota artists Dobby Hansen and Barry Knutson create the distinctive hand-painted wooden signs. Their folk art style became part of Wall Drug’s recognizable brand across American highways.
Growth Beyond Imagination
Bill Hustead, Ted’s son and fellow pharmacist, returned to join the family business in 1951. His vision expanded Wall Drug beyond its humble beginnings into something extraordinary.
What started as a small-town pharmacy evolved into a 76,000-square-foot complex with multiple attractions. Wall Drug now includes a western art museum, traveler’s chapel, restaurants, and themed shopping areas.
The Iconic Dinosaur
The Husteads commissioned the dinosaur when Interstate 90 bypassed Wall. They feared losing business when the new highway diverted traffic from town, so they built something impossible to miss.
That took the shape of an 80-foot brontosaurus with glowing light bulb eyes near Interstate 90, visible for miles.
Fine Art Fill the Wall Drug Restaurant
The Western Art Gallery collection housed in the 530-seat restaurant contains artwork valued at $3 million, and one of the country’s finest private collections of Western art.
Ten original Harvey Dunn oil paintings hang on the walls, including one purchased for $175,000. Dunn, a South Dakota native, ranks among America’s greatest illustrators and Western artists.
The gallery also houses Works by N.C. Wyeth, Dean Cornwell, and other renowned artists, which share space with buffalo burgers and homemade pie.
Enjoy a Coffee For A Nickel
The 5-cent coffee tradition remains unchanged since Wall Drug started selling it during the Great Depression.
To go with the coffee, bakers arrive before dawn to make homemade donuts and traditional fudge for the drugstore.
These treats developed their own following among regular visitors who make special trips just for the sweets.
Four Generations Strong
Rick Hustead began working at Wall Drug at age 8, collecting empty soda bottles from the backyard. Today he serves as chairman, continuing the family’s legacy into its third generation.
The actual pharmacy takes up less than 1% of the building’s space but remains vital to area residents. Locals would otherwise drive 30 miles to fill prescriptions, making the drugstore an essential service.
Treats for Air Force Personnel
Nuclear missile silos near Wall once housed 150 Minuteman missiles spanning 13,500 square miles of South Dakota. These weapons stood ready during decades of Cold War tension between superpowers.
Air Force personnel operating nearby missile silos frequented Wall Drug during travels to Ellsworth Air Force Base. The tradition of free coffee and donuts for service members continues today, honoring military connections.
Visiting Wall Drug Store
Wall Drug operates daily from 7 a.m. to 9 p.m. year-round at 510 Main Street in Wall, South Dakota. Travelers on Interstate 90 can take exit 110 and follow signs to the store. Admission is free with ample parking available around the complex.
The Western Art Gallery Restaurant serves breakfast, lunch, and dinner.
Read More from This Brand:
The post You’ll Drive Past 300+ Billboards Before Reaching This Legendary South Dakota Drug Store appeared first on When In Your State.