You stop at Wall Drug driving to Mount Rushmore, South Dakota. Mount Rushmore is 60 miles west of Wall Drug. Photo of Mt Rushmore in public domain because taken by a federal government employee. See Wikipedia for details.
Problem
When we stopped at a giant supermarket in South Dakota and the Tourist Board told us it was one of the state's main attractions, known throughout the USA - and world-famous, I was slightly puzzled.
Now I know why it was world-famous. They started small, with so few customers they were on the point of selling. Until the wife thought of advertising free iced water. Their selling point was 'free iced water'. Their water came from a well in the backyard.
The husband installed advertising wherever he could, non-stop, everywhere. The 3,000 signs along the highways had something to do with it. The great American success story.
They advertised on buses in Britain, buses in New York.
It's a story about the power of advertising, of believing in yourself. The religious couple provided a chapel, where travellers could give thanks for their safe journey, and pray for further safe journeys. A bit like modern chapels in airports.
The son took things one stage further. The store became more like a theme park, full of big models, moving models, photo opportunities. Free water, cheap coffee, and every kind of clothing and souvenir you could think of.
I wanted a cowgirl shirt - or a cowboy shirt. They were too expensive. Eventually, I admitted that I wanted something cheaper. Somebody found me a bargain corner. I bought a shirt.
The moral is, for tourist attractions, advertise, offer something free or cheap. For tourists, if you want a cheaper souvenir, ask for it. As they say, those who don't ask, don't get. They have had ads from as far away as Afghanistan and the Arctic.
Author
Angela Lansbury, travel writer and photographer, author and speaker.
Sign for Wall Drug
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| Date | 10 June 2004 (original upload date) |
| Source | From http://foreversummer.escf.com/pics.html (permission granted under GFDL)
Previously at en.wikipedia; description page is/was here.
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| Author | The original uploader was Jkeiser at English Wikipedia |
Licensing[edit]
 | Permission is granted to copy, distribute and/or modify this document under the terms of the GNU Free Documentation License, Version 1.2 or any later version published by the Free Software Foundation; with no Invariant Sections, no Front-Cover Texts, and no Back-Cover Texts. A copy of the license is included in the section entitled GNU Free Documentation License. Subject to disclaimers. |
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wall_Drug
https://www.roadsideamerica.com/story/2216
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