|Exhibit 31.1
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|DUCKWALL-ALCO STORES, INC. 
      SECTION 13a-14(a)/15D-14(a) CERTIFICATIONS
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|I, Glen L. Shank, certify that:
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|1. | I
have reviewed this quarterly report on Form 10-Q of  Duckwall-ALCO Stores, Inc.;
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|2. | Based
on my knowledge, this quarterly report does not  contain any untrue statement of a
material fact or omit to  state a material fact necessary to make the statements  made,
in light of the circumstances under which such  statements were made, not misleading with
respect to the  period covered by this quarterly report;
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|3. | Based
on my knowledge, the financial statements, and other  financial information included in
this quarterly report,  fairly present in all material respects the financial  condition,
results of operations and cash flows of the  registrant as of, and for, the periods
presented in this  quarterly report;
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|4. | The
registrants other certifying officers and I are  responsible for establishing and
maintaining disclosure  controls and procedures (as defined in Exchange Act Rules
13a-15(e) and 15d-15(e)) for the registrant and we have:
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| | (a) | designed
such disclosure controls and procedures, or  caused such disclosure controls and
procedures to be  designed under our supervision, to ensure that material  information
relating to the registrant, including its  consolidated subsidiaries, is made known to us
by others  within those entities, particularly during the period in  which this quarterly
report is being prepared;
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| | (b) | evaluated
the effectiveness of the registrants disclosure  controls and procedures and presented
in this report our  conclusions about the effectiveness of the disclosure  controls and
procedures as of the end of the period  covered by this report based on such evaluation
and
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| | (c) | disclosed
in this report any change in the registrants  internal control over financial reporting
that occurred  during the registrants most recent fiscal quarter that  has materially
affected, or is reasonably likely to  materially affect, the registrants internal
control over  financial reporting; and
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|5. | The
registrants other certifying officers and I have  disclosed, based on our most recent
evaluation of internal  control over financial reporting, to the registrants  auditors
and the audit committee of registrants board of  directors (or persons performing the
equivalent function);
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| | (a) | all
significant deficiencies and material weaknesses in  the design or operation of internal
control over financial  reporting which are reasonably likely to adversely affect  the
registrants ability to record, process, summarize and  report financial information; and
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| | (b) | any
fraud, whether or not material, that involves  management or other employees who have a
significant role  in the registrants internal control over financial  reporting.
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|Date:  December 5, 2003
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| | /s/ Glen L. Shank
      Glen L. Shank 
      Chairman of the Board, President
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