Road Sign Near Mitchell is Still a Hot Topic

I've loved road signs since I was a kid. Some are clever, some are plain. Road signs are a way to advertise products or to inform customers while keeping the image of the company in mind. A sign illustrates the slant, lean and feel of the people who work at the business and run the place. One particular sign has me hoping they were just playin' with passers-by. I feel the sign, pictured above is indeed South Dakotas Most Talked About Road Sign.

Think of all the clever signs you see scattered along the interstate or along highways around the state. Have You Dug Wall Drug? How about the Free Ice Water at Al's Cafe in Chamberlain. Or, the Snotty Waitresses sign for Ditty's Diner and Lounge in Kimball.

My favorite over the years is for Dick's Auto Body Shop in Mitchell, South Dakota. The reason? The spelling. Were they serious when they printed Free Toe Service?

When I see this sign, I envision the owner perched on a stool greeting the customer saying, slip those boots off let's take a look. What do we have here? Maybe a quick trim and ....for sure, a wash! I see the owner with some guys feet in his hands taking a look with a critical eye before offering advice on a 'fixup.'

I'm sure they meant, we'll take care of getting your auto from point A to point B with a free TOW before we make it look new again. But that's the thing about spelling. Part of you thinks creative liberty while part of you may not be so sure! 

I reckon some might refuse to take a vehicle for repair to a business that for one reason or another does not spell or chooses not to spell correctly. [after all, you expect something close to perfection when you pay the bill] Far be it for me to correct anyone when I can't spell their correctly without Grammarly helping me out. I'll just pass it off as clever conversation fodder for parents and kids as they drive down the road.

I apologize for the sub-par photo.  The weather was miserable as I waited in line for the lead car to take us through a construction zone. It was chilly so I didn't get out of the pickup to take the photo.  As for the spelling and usage in this story? My guess is it was done on purpose. We've talked about it over the years. That' a win for Dick's!

Now, about those toenails.

Thank you for sharing this story with your friends and family who have talked about this sign on trips across the state.