Classic Sioux Falls: A Grocery Stop At Hinky Dinky

Decisions, decisions. Where to stop for that gallon of milk and loaf of bread, that great cut of meat, and that fresh produce.

Should it be Piggly Wiggle? Or Hinky Dinky?

Now, for you younger folks, no, I haven't gone off the deep end, and no, those aren't names from some children's book (OK, maybe they are names from some children's book, but they're real, too!).

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It was some time ago that I wrote a story about Piggly Wiggly and whatever happened to them.

As a kid, my folks would go to Piggly Wiggly or Red Owl (Whatever happened to Red Owl? Find out here). A friend of mine read the story and then said 'Huh, I remember years ago going to Hinky Dinky here in Sioux Falls.

Oh yeah, Hinky Dinky. Geez, whatever happened to Hinky Dinky?

Well, turns out the grocery chain that started way back in 1925 in Omaha took their name as a kind of 'spin-off' from Piggly Wiggly. Hey, if 'Piggly Wiggly' was a cute name, then so was 'Hinky Dinky'. Besides, 'Hinky Dinky' was also in the title of a World War I song, so it has to be good!

And it was good, at least for several years.

There were about 50 Hinky Dinky grocery stores at one time, but by the mid-1980's most of them were, well, gone. And by 2000, poof, no more Hinky Dinky.

But according to Wikipedia, Hinky Dinky was innovative in at least one area. They were a pioneer in the practice of having banks open in-store banking offices.

So, as you were growing up in the Sioux Falls area, there's a pretty good chance you went with mom and dad to Piggly Wiggly. Or Red Owl. Or Hinky Dinky.

It's what we call the 'good old days'.