You Could Easily Spend All Weekend At This Enormous South Dakota Drugstore
By Catherine Armstrong|Published February 02, 2018
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Catherine Armstrong
Author
Writer, editor and researcher with a passion for exploring new places. Catherine loves local bookstores, independent films, and spending time with her family, including Gus the golden retriever, who is a very good boy.
In 1931, when Ted Hustead decided to buy a little drugstore in the tiny town of Wall, his relatives thought he was crazy to set up shop in such a “godforsaken town.” Residents were poor and struggling from the Great Depression, and the town was isolated in the middle of nowhere. Ted and his wife Dorothy had faith that they could make a go of it, though, and more than 80 years later, Wall Drug is not only thriving, but it’s one of the most popular spots in the entire state.
In the beginning, business was slow and there just weren't enough customers to keep the Hulstead family afloat.
Once Mount Rushmore was completed, the traffic along the highway became pretty brisk, but no one was stopping. Dorothy came up with a great idea - offer free ice water to the thirsty travelers. The idea worked, and Wall Drug became a thriving little business.
Keeping with tradition, the drugstore still offers its free ice water today.
But, the store is a LOT bigger. By the 1980s, as many as 20,000 people were visiting the store on hot summer days, and now the attraction draws millions of people every year. The Hulsteads proved that Wall is definitely not a "godforsaken town."
When I-90 was built in the 1960s, the Husteads worried that the freeway would divert traffic away from Wall. Emmet Sullivan built this 80-foot-tall dinosaur, complete with lightbulbs for eyes, to remind travelers to stop.
Wall Drug is no longer just a drugstore. It's more like a shopping mall, with tons of different shops inside. The entire attraction encompasses 76,000 feet.
The main store is open Monday through Saturday from 7 AM to 5:30 PM; Sunday 7 AM to 3:30 PM. The mall stores are open from 8:30 AM to 5 PM Monday through Saturday, and 8 AM to 3:30 PM Sunday.
