Wall, South Dakota: Wall Drug Store

When I finally arrived at Wall Drug on 9/5/2001 -- it was clear that everyone in town had already arrived. Since the outside temp was a record-setting 104F, the prospects of milling around an air-conditioned building sounded pretty nice. The exterior of Wall Drug looks much the same as the older pictures I have seen, with the only change being to the sign, which now reads "Bill, Ted, and Rick Hustead's Wall Drug". The sign out front also states that seating capacity is up to 530.

I was surprised by what I found inside. Wall Drug is a totally enclosed collection of shops with a chapel, pharmacy museum, and huge cafe. Each specialty shop is staffed with summer help from overseas, courteous and willing to help.

After wandering around the interior of Wall Drug for about an hour -- totally lost at times since it seemed you can walk around in what seemed like a square but you never end up back were you started -- we finally checked out the back lot. There we found the famous Free Ice Water Well, jackalope, bucking horse (real horse hide, by the way), buffalo (again a real hide), Mt. Rushmore, and chuck wagon photo-op. I was armed with quarters so I started with Singin' Sam and listened to him play Alley-Oop. The four-man quarter-eating band was in bad shape; a quarter brought the band to life but the soundtrack was all noisy static. The hupmobile is still in the back back lot along with the Native American scene and yet another singing cowboy. The newest addition to the back lot is the huge T-Rex that roars once every twelve minutes. While it's not roaring it moves its head and eyeballs the little pink snacks hiding behind their parent's legs.

The only disappointment was the pharmacy museum. I expected something world-class, given the piles of money Wall Drug makes each season but we found the museum to contain very few pharmacy related artifacts, all of which were up on a high shelf so anyone under 6 feet tell can't even see most of them. Most of the 'museum' space is dedicated to trying to sell you funny-smelling candles and throw-away cameras.

But don't get my wrong.. Wall Drug is the miracle of the badlands and I already want to go back.

Bill Hustead, 72, passed away on Oct. 3....

South Dakota lost one of its tourism heroes this week. Wall Drug Czar Ted Hustead (1902-1999) died in a Philip, SD, hospital at the age of 96....

A new generation has picked up the reigns on the runaway prairie wagon known as Wall Drug, Wall SD. Management of one of the world's best loved tourist traps is now in the hands of Rick Hustead, son of owner Bill Hustead and grandson of founder Ted Hustead.

Wall Drug added an animated T-Rex dinosaur to the many other unique items to look at. T-Rex makes a very loud growl noise and its eyes light up. You might have to wait a few minutes for the display of animation. Wall is right off I-90 in South Dakota near the Badlands National Park. So stop by and grab a free sign and a glass of ice water.