|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:  September 5, 2003
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| | /s/ Glen L. Shank
      Glen L. Shank
      Chairman of the Board, President
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