Vic's Place from Dimock, SD


What was originally Dimock State Bank in tiny Dimock, SD, was turned into a dancer’s paradise. Vic and Hilde Weber purchased the business in 1957 and used an extra large room behind the bar to hold old-time dances. One of those musicians, Jimmy Thomas, encouraged the Webers to hire one of his rock bands. Starting on Friday nights twice a month, Myron Lee and the Caddies played at Vic’s Place regularly. Myron was guaranteed $125 while splitting the beer and ticket proceeds. Hamburgers cooked by Helen Bowar sold for 25 cents as did beer. Admission was usually $1. “It was packed inside and packed on the street,” Myron remembers. “The Mitchell boys liked to pick fights with the small-town guys.”

 The bar used coal heat, had no running water, no air conditioning and poor ventilation. Once when the heat was predicted to be suffocating, Vic canceled a dance. Then he realized that beer sales would have spiraled, so that was the last dance he canceled.

 Vic’s was famous for its dance floor. It was built above an underground spring, so no footings were poured. Standing still on the floor was difficult because the surface would move underneath. It must have been deemed safe for dancers, but Caddies drummer Dick Davies would disagree. The stage was quite high, so band members used a bench to step up on it. One night Davies slipped on his way to the stage and injured his knee so badly that he spent the night writhing in pain while a volunteer drummer from the crowd filled in for him.

 Many bands played Vic’s Place. Marlys Roe and the Talismen drew large crowds. Young Generation, Faith in the Believers, Night Beats, The Ride, Steve Ellis and the Starfires, Lads of Sherwood, Pandora’s Box, Sons of Chaplin, Ma’s Boys, Vanishing Americans, and Kid Sparrow worked at Vic’s. Impalas, Imperials, Tensions, Toreadors, Chateaux, Volaires, Shadows, Spooks, and Mystics also played there. Ray Roth, Dan Hohn, and Ralph Kurtenbach, all from Dimock, joined Mike Hasson and Tim Monson from Parkston to perform as Society. Vic’s was their home turf. Years later Monson’s little brother Rob’s band, XTD, played many gigs there. The Good Times Band, The Weber Band, and Rude Awakening also filled the air with music.

 In 1981, the Webers sold their business to Don Sudbeck, who renamed it Don’s Place. It’s currently Hofer’s Lounge.

 Those Dimock dances after Friday football games are still great memories to many area people. Vic and Hilde and their family knew how to treat their guests -- with laughter and great music. The SD Rock and Roll Music Association is proud to induct Vic’s Place into their Hall of Fame.

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