Wall Drug

Wall Drug - what can you say about it... it's a small business that has made it big, it's a stop in the middle of no-where, it's a tourist trap... no matter how you define Wall Drug there is not debating that is a prolific advertiser (as billboards go). What has brought up this subject you may be wondering, well I will tell you a small story, then give you some info; sound fair?

I have been making the trip from Des Moines, Iowa into northern Wyoming for a few years now, any time of the year. Each trip is different, you never know what you are going to encounter, sometimes you will see cops every few miles, other times you will see hardly any. Sometimes things will go great, other times you will wish that you had never gotten out of bed, sometimes the roads will be busy with people on vacation, other times the roads will be practically deserted. I have found one constant, once you hit I-90, you can't get away from the billboards, advertising almost everything, killing animals, not killing fetuses (that's a whole other topic that I don't wish to get into), attractions and services along the way. Anyone who has traveled I-90 for any distance will know that many of the advertisements are for tourist traps Murdo, Corn Palace, etc. Now one of the most prolific advertisers is Wall Drug.

The last time I drove this trip (Friday), Jana and I counted the number of Wall Drug signs from Sioux Falls, SD to Wall, SD. We counted 97, that's about one (1) sign every three (3) miles. Let me tell you that can get very annoying after the first 20... Then to top things off, the two times that I went to Wall Drug , I can't say that it was anything terribly impressive, some small stores, not much for good food, and far from enough parking. Though I did get Jana's ring from there, a nice ring too.

Here is someone else's blog posting on Wall Drug: http://www.brandlovehate.com/2006/08/wall_drug_adver.html