Retailer Promotes Verizon's Efforts to Help Connect Family
                and Friends With Earthquake Victims

ABILENE, Kan., Jan. 28, 2010 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- To help the families
and friends of earthquake victims in Haiti, Duckwall-ALCO Stores
(Nasdaq:DUCK) nationwide are proud to sell Verizon Prepaid Phone Cards.
Through February 14, Verizon will waive all charges for long-distance
calls on the prepaid cards from the U.S. to Haiti.

"Many individuals prefer the flexibility of using a prepaid phone card,
especially to make calls overseas to keep in touch with family and
friends," said David Skogen, group manager of prepaid services for
Verizon. "We want all of our Verizon Prepaid Phone Card customers to
get in touch with loved ones in Haiti without having to worry about
using up their packages of minutes." When a customer uses a Verizon
Prepaid Phone Card to call Haiti, no minutes will be taken off the
card, regardless of when it was purchased.

"We think this offer by Verizon will be extremely helpful to the
families and friends of so many people who have been touched by the
tragedy of recent events in Haiti," said Larry Zigerelli, CEO of
Duckwall-ALCO Stores. "Being able to call Haiti without the worry of
the long distance expense is a tremendous comfort. We applaud Verizon
for offering such a valuable service."

About Duckwall-ALCO Stores, Inc.

Duckwall-ALCO Stores, Inc. is a regional broad line retailer that
specializes in meeting the needs of smaller, underserved communities
across 23 states, primarily in the central United States. The Company
offers an exceptional selection of quality products and recognized
brand names at reasonable prices. Its specialty is delivering those
products with the friendly, personal service its customers have come to
expect. With 258 stores, Duckwall-ALCO Stores is proud to have
continually provided excellent products at good value prices to its
customers for 108 years. To learn more about Duckwall-ALCO Stores,
Inc., visit www.ALCOstores.com.

The Duckwall-ALCO Stores, Inc. logo is available at
http://www.globenewswire.com/newsroom/prs/?pkgid=5865


CONTACT:  Verizon
          Media Contact:
          Ellen Yu
          908-559-3496
          ellen.yu@verizon.com

          Duckwall-ALCO Stores, Inc.
          Media Contact:
          Debbie Hagen
          913-652-6547
          dhagen@hagenandpartners.com