In the 1930's, such a sign was enough to encourage weary prairie travelers to stop for a break. And to put a small town in South Dakota on the world map.
After trying to make a go of a pharmacy for nearly five years, the Husteads were about to give up. Then Mrs. Hustead heard the sound of the cars and wagons running down the nearby road. An idea hit her: "We have ice, we have water. We can quench their thirst and maybe they will buy something while they are here."
They painted a simple sign: "Free Ice Water: Wall Drugs" and posted it on the roadway. The next day they almost did more business in one day than they had done in the previous five years put together. Ah, the power of advertising.
Nowadays, their "free ice water" signs are found on every continent, including, according to one article on a wall of articles written about the place, Antarctica. The signs are more of a pop symbol than the place itself.
Ice water and drug store items have not been enough to satisfy prairie travelers. In the past 60 years or so, Wall Drugs has grown to take up four blocks, which is the majority of the downtown area. It is a "tourist trap" in the best and most fun sense of that phrase. You can buy souvenirs, including decals, posters, post cards, shot glasses, sling–shots, and stuffed jackalopes. You can take your picture with buffalo, broncos and dinosaurs.
The cafe food is fairly good. If you stick to a donut and coffee, you can get out for under $1. If you want a little more, there are still some affordable meals. But be warned, this is not true for the rest of the town. Food, gas and other items in Wall reflect the fact that it is in the middle of nowhere and it attracts a lot of tourists. One couple even told us that the casino slots were harder to win.
But if you like kitsch (and The Ample Traveler© loves it), you'll like Wall Drugs. The good news is that it has facilities accessible to most people. There are large hallways that allow for easy movement with assistive devices. The large restrooms in the back (called "deluxe restrooms" on the signs) are spacious and easily entered and exited. We spotted several scooters parked in the inner–mall area to allow for people to get around and still go into the more crowded stores.
Our only complaint was that some of the stores were quite crowded because of all the souvenirs offered and all the people roaming about. The cafeteria, however, was quite accessible with movable and variable seating. The benches were a little difficult for those of us with short legs or who need a bit of help getting back up after sitting down. One tended to sink into the cushion in the process. But while on the benches, they were comfortable. The tables were movable, allowing for different seating arrangements and for larger people to sit easily at the table.
The Ample Traveler© spent about three hours touring the facility. We didn't see it all, but we saw enough. The coffee is only a nickel and the ice water is still free. All in all it is a nice place to visit in the middle of the lonely prairie.