I’m not usually one to rave about shopping places.  In fact, I’ve been known to go to great lengths to avoid them at all costs.  But I had been seeing amusing billboards for Wall Drug for, quite literally, over 300 miles as I drove across South Dakota, and I needed fuel and coffee anyway, so decided to see what it was all about.  It turned out to be not so much a single shop as a complex maze of shops, galleries, and general weirdness.  The main street looked like an old western town.

So I tied Baby Blue to a hitchin’ post and went in.

It was kind of a big warehouse with different shops within.  Or maybe they’re all departments of a single shop, that wasn’t really clear either.  It looked like this probably started out as a drug store/chemist, but just grew organically until it was… well, kind of a marvel.

I had a mediocre cup of coffee in the café, but didn’t mind much, because I was preoccupied looking at the light fixtures and the art work.

They had souvenirs, clothing, jewelry, rocks and gemstones, shoes, hats, etc.  But I really got caught up in the old photo galleries that were scattered around, particularly the Indian portraits, which I’ve always liked.  This man below had such an interesting name that I had to look him up.  [Wikipedia has this to say about him: “Young-Man-Afraid-Of-His-Horses [Tȟašúŋke Kȟokípȟapi] (1836 – July 13, 1893), also translated as His-Horses-Are-Afraid and They-Fear-Even-His-Horses, was a chief of the Oglala Sioux. Commonly misinterpreted, his name means They fear his horse or His horse is feared, meaning that the bearer of the name was so feared in battle that even the sight of his horse would inspire fear. He is known for his participation in Red Cloud’s War, as a negotiator for the Sioux Nation after the Wounded Knee Massacre, and for serving on delegations to Washington, D.C.”]

And although many Indian names are poetic, this has to be the most beautiful I’ve ever heard.  He had a peaceful, spiritual look that matched it well.  [From Wikipedia: “Rain-in-the-Face (Lakota: Ité Omáǧažu (in Standard Lakota Orthography) (c. 1835 – September 15, 1905) was a warchief of the Lakota tribe of Native Americans. His mother was a Dakota related to the band of famous Chief Inkpaduta. He was among the Indian leaders who defeated George Armstrong Custer and the U.S. 7th Cavalry Regiment at the 1876 Battle of Little Big Horn.”]

There were so many pictures and portraits that it would be impossible to show you all the interesting ones, but I quite enjoyed myself.  I also discovered that they have a pet T Rex that gets fed every fifteen minutes.

In the rock and gemstone shop I talked for a while with Dennis, who’s wife also works in the jewelry shop.  They’re my new heroes, having owned their own businesses, but given them up to live a wandering life, working in places like this for a while before moving on.  They also lived on a sailboat in tropical waters for a while, and I’m now completely convinced that this is the way to live!  Hi Dennis!

Having stopped in just for a cup of coffee, I spent about two hours there, and bought a pair of driving moccasins that I had been needing (much as I love my boots, we’re having a bit too much togetherness), and also a Stetson (since I’m heading into the west, after all, and I’ve already got the best/worst farmer’s tan of my life).  Stetson shown below, with small bison for scale.  What a fun place!