Duckwall-ALCO won't rebuild destroyed stores

ABILENE, Kan. Duckwall-ALCO Stores today announced that it will not rebuild two of its stores that were destroyed by tornadoes earlier this year.

 The company's ALCO Store in Tulia, Texas. was hit by a tornado on April 21. The store had opened there in 1994. Less than two weeks later, on May 4, the company's Duckwall Store in Greensburg, Kan. was demolished by a tornado. Duckwall had served the Greensburg community for 40 years.

Commenting on the rebuilding decision, Duckwall-ALCO president and ceo Bruce Dale said, ``We have considered all of the factors involved, and -- although we have valued the opportunity to serve the people of both Tulia and Greensburg -- we regretfully announce that we will no longer be a part of these communities. We have provided assistance to those employees whose homes were destroyed, and we have offered employees at both stores new positions within the Duckwall-ALCO chain. Making the decision about these stores was an extremely difficult one.''