Odessa Spire next to Pinkie’s Liquor Store on Maple Ave. – Ben Powell/Odessa American via AP
About Pinkie’s: Your Premier West Texas Beverage Partner
Pinkie’s is a proud, locally-owned retail alcoholic beverage chain deeply rooted in West Texas. Since 1934, shortly after the 21st Amendment’s ratification, we’ve been about serving our community as a prominent player in the beverage alcohol industry. We’ve successfully introduced new and exciting products over the years, always with a dedication to excellence and customer satisfaction.
Named after our original founder, Thomas “Pinkie” Roden, who operated the company until the late 1980s, we continue his legacy today. Our unwavering goal is to offer quality name brands, reasonable prices, and unparalleled service. We are deeply grateful for over 90 years of success and extend our heartfelt thanks to everyone who helped make this milestone possible.
Thomas “Pinkie” Roden operated the company until the late 80’s. He sold the company to his brother Ted Roden. Ted then sold Pinkie’s to Austin Keith in 1997.
For over 90 years, Pinkie’s has been a chain of stores ranging in number from 9 in the 1950’s to 23 in the 1980’s. During that time, the stores were located as far west as El Paso, as far east as Abilene, as far south as San Angelo and as far north as Amarillo.
Learn about our locations that we serve.
Carrying on the work that Pinkie started back in 1934, we have grown into a chain of 22 wine and spirits retail stores and wholesale stores. We employ more than 175 people in our stores in Abilene, Alpine, Amarillo, Colorado City, Lubbock, Midland, Odessa, San Angelo, Snyder, and Sweetwater. Our goal is to offer our customers quality name brands, reasonable prices and unparalleled customer service.
About the 1930s: A Decade of Change and Pinkie’s Founding in 1934
The 1930s in America were a tumultuous time, defined by a series of crises and significant cultural shifts. While the remnants of Prohibition still fueled organized crime, the devastating Dust Bowl storms forced countless families from their homes. Amidst this hardship, figures like Bonnie and Clyde captured national attention, their crime sprees mirroring the era’s desperation. Yet, there was also escapism, with comedic duos like Laurel & Hardy providing laughter in films such as “Babes in Toyland.” All these events unfolded as the nation grappled with the profound impact of the Great Depression and the market crash, fundamentally altering the fabric of the United States. It was in this dynamic period that Pinkie’s was founded in 1934, beginning our long history of serving West Texas.
Storms Rage in “The Dust Bowl”
In May a three-day dust storm blows an estimated 350 million tons of soil off of the terrain of the West and Southwest and deposits it as far east as New York and Boston. Some East Coast cities were forced to ignite street lamps during the day to see through the blowing dust.
The drought came in three waves, 1934, 1936, and 1939–1940, but some regions of the High Plains experienced drought conditions for as many as eight years.
Bonnie & Clyde Gunned Down
Bonny and Clydes car (1932 Ford V-8), riddled with bullet holes after the ambush. Picture taken by FBI investigators on May 23, 1934. Author Unknown – NYPOST
Near their hide-out in Black Lake, Louisiana, FBI men ambush bank robbers Bonnie Parker and Clyde Barrow and fire, killing them.
Bad Year for Outlaws:
Notorious outlaws John Dillinger, “Pretty Boy” Floyd, and Lester J. Gillis (AKA “Baby Face Nelson”) are all gunned down…
Laurel & Hardy’s “Babes In Toyland”
Publicity still from the Laurel and Hardy film “Babes in Toyland” (1934), later reissued under the title “March of the Wooden Soldiers”. – Found in thrift store in Los Angeles. Publicity still from film that is now in public domain. Original nitrate film negative has almost certainly disintegrated by now. – Public Domain
The classic Laurel & Hardy film was released on November 30th, 1934. It has since been re-named at least five times, with other titles such as Laurel & Hardy in Toyland, Toyland, March of the Toys and Revenge is Sweet. Today, it is most commonly known as March of the Wooden Soldiers.