Wall Drug

One of the characters that live at Wall Drug. more pics

I'm staying in Rapid City, but I backtracked 50 miles today, just so I could see the infamous Wall Drug. Stephen mentioned it to me about a year ago as one of the places I should check out on my first drive from Seattle to Minneapolis. Since I took the northern route during the first trip, I figured I'd see South Dakota this time. The way Stephen described it, it didn't sound like much. All he said was, "You have to go to Wall Drug." What could be so special about a pharmacy?

Well, let me tell you what's so special about a pharmacy. It's a marketing blitz! That's what it is! Even before I crossed the border into SD, I saw a sign saying, "355 miles to Wall Drug". And that was just the beginning. There were 355 miles of billboards talking about Wall Drug! Souvenirs at Wall Drug. Indian art at Wall Drug. Largest collection of Western art at Wall Drug. Western clothing at Wall Drug. Five cent coffee at Wall Drug. Refreshing ice water at Wall Drug. The Traveler's Chapel at Wall Drug. New T-Rex at Wall Drug. A what? Yup! A dinosaur at Wall Drug.

When you take Exit 110 from the west, you see the town's water tower saying, "Wall - Home of Wall Drug". There's the typical freeway sign pointing to the left. Then a billboard saying four blocks to Wall Drug. Then another sign saying that an arrow to Wall Drug is coming up. Sure enough, there was another sign directing you to turn left to go to Wall Drug. And then you think you're lost because you expect a big sign saying "Wall Drug" when you see another billboard all the way in the back that says "Wall Drug parking" and asks that trucks please park on the gravel side.

To be fair, Wall Drug really is a drugstore. And then around it grew all these little shops. Either that or Wall Drug acquired all these little shops around it and became the biggest conglomerate of South Dakota. And then motels and B&B's sprouted around it and put up billboards saying they're only a few blocks from Wall Drug. And tour busses take people to see Wall Drug.

So, today, Wall Drug is two long blocks of stores facing each other. Not including the parking lots. The drugstore itself is just one little shop in the middle of one side. One of the entrances is reminiscent of Pike Place Market with people sculptures standing around or sitting on benches, way too many stuffed wild game and antlers, museum-like displays. The front looks a bit like a Western town. Behind the drugstore is a small lot called the "Wall Drug Backyard" with antique dioramas that move if you put a quarter in, horse sculptures, a jackalope, a miniature Mount Rushmore, a buffalo with fur, a huge rabbit with fur. Inside the building, there was a display where you can pan for your own gold/precious stones/whatever, more stores, more people sculptures, a stuffed bear (which I think is a real one because it's inside a glass box).

I was checking out the gold panning display when I heard an alarm on the other end of the building. People weren't flying out of there so I figured it was probably a false fire alarm. And then I heard the growls. Well, imagine a theme park display based on Jurassic Park. That's
what it is. But, hey, I'm easily entertained.

Actually, when I got to the "Backyard", the guy was already untethering the gate, but he said I still had lots of time, so I went in. He kept me from putting in a quarter in one of the dioramas because he said it's not good. The duck's foot is wobbly and the bunny's ear is broken. But he smiled to himself; he seemed amused that a grown woman would actually put a quarter into those things. So, when I asked him to play the T-Rex again, he accommodated me so I could record it. And after that, he continued turning off and unplugging the displays. He said I could still stay and take pictures, but the lighting wasn't good, so I thanked him and left.

So, anyway, I got some postcards and a few souvenirs, including three jackalope furs. Seriously.

I figure, the three most important industries in South Dakota are follows, in decreasing size:

• the tourism industry around Mt Rushmore,
• Wall Drug (which qualifies as an industry by itself), and
• the highway billboard industry.

And, oh, yeah, there must be a black beef industry around these parts, as evidenced by the black cows along the freeway, but it's smaller than any of the first three. Why? I saw more billboards than black cows. 'Nuf said.