Duckwall-ALCO Retail Stores
Encyclopedia
Duckwall-ALCO Stores, Inc. is a small retail chain operating 258 stores in 23 state
s in the United States Midwest, founded in 1901 in Kansas
by A.L. Duckwall.
(or "variety") stores called Duckwall's. In 1968 it began to move into the discount retail business and opened stores that were bigger than their five and dime counterparts called ALCO. ALCO stores (somewhat smaller than a non-supercenter Wal-Mart) provide the full selection of merchandise offered by the company, while the Duckwall stores provide a limited selection.
In 1985, after three acquisitions, the company went through a management-led leveraged buy-out. The company had 127 ALCO stores, and 33 Duckwalls in 14 states at that time.
In May 1989, Duckwall-ALCO filed Chapter 11 bankruptcy, emerging in 1991 after securing financing from GE Capital
, its primary creditor. At least 52 stores were closed during this period. After 1989 they switched to their current business strategy of targeting communities where no direct retail competitor existed (such as Wal-Mart
, Target
or Kmart
). The strategy proved to be successful for Duckwall-ALCO and as of June 2008 there are 205 ALCO stores and 59 Duckwall stores.
The company previously experimented with a combination discount and food store called C.O.L.A. (Cost of Living Adjusters) in Mineral Wells, Texas
, which was discontinued. The company also began a supercenter concept, ALCO Market Place, by providing limited perishable goods. (There is only one store that is a ALCO Market Place in the United States) These stores are considerably smaller than Wal-Mart's or Target's supercenter stores.
The company's headquarters, as well as their 352000 square feet (32,701.9 m²) distribution center are all located in Abilene, Kansas
.
In 2010, the company reported to open 8 more new stores in the U.S.
Duckwall-ALCO stores announced on November 29, 2010 that it will close all 44 of its Duckwall stores. Forty-three of the stores will be closed permanently, except for one in Hettinger, N.D. which will be reopened as an ALCO.
In the Fall of 2011, Duckwall-ALCO stores Open it fist store in Dallas-Fort Worth area of Texas in Grand Prairie, Texas
.
U.S. state
A U.S. state is any one of the 50 federated states of the United States of America that share sovereignty with the federal government. Because of this shared sovereignty, an American is a citizen both of the federal entity and of his or her state of domicile. Four states use the official title of...
s in the United States Midwest, founded in 1901 in Kansas
Kansas
Kansas is a US state located in the Midwestern United States. It is named after the Kansas River which flows through it, which in turn was named after the Kansa Native American tribe, which inhabited the area. The tribe's name is often said to mean "people of the wind" or "people of the south...
by A.L. Duckwall.
History
In its early years the company operated five and dimeFive and Dime
Five and Dime is a cartoon short by Walter Lantz which features Oswald the Lucky Rabbit. It is the 74th Oswald short produced by Lantz and the 125th overall. It also is among the number of shorts that feature Oswald in his fully clothed appearance....
(or "variety") stores called Duckwall's. In 1968 it began to move into the discount retail business and opened stores that were bigger than their five and dime counterparts called ALCO. ALCO stores (somewhat smaller than a non-supercenter Wal-Mart) provide the full selection of merchandise offered by the company, while the Duckwall stores provide a limited selection.
In 1985, after three acquisitions, the company went through a management-led leveraged buy-out. The company had 127 ALCO stores, and 33 Duckwalls in 14 states at that time.
In May 1989, Duckwall-ALCO filed Chapter 11 bankruptcy, emerging in 1991 after securing financing from GE Capital
GE Capital
GE Capital is the financial services unit of General Electric, one of five major units. Its various divisions include GE Capital Aviation Services, GE Capital Real Estate, GE Energy Financial Services and GE Money....
, its primary creditor. At least 52 stores were closed during this period. After 1989 they switched to their current business strategy of targeting communities where no direct retail competitor existed (such as Wal-Mart
Wal-Mart
Wal-Mart Stores, Inc. , branded as Walmart since 2008 and Wal-Mart before then, is an American public multinational corporation that runs chains of large discount department stores and warehouse stores. The company is the world's 18th largest public corporation, according to the Forbes Global 2000...
, Target
Target Corporation
Target Corporation, doing business as Target, is an American retailing company headquartered in Minneapolis, Minnesota. It is the second-largest discount retailer in the United States, behind Walmart. The company is ranked at number 33 on the Fortune 500 and is a component of the Standard & Poor's...
or Kmart
Kmart
Kmart, sometimes styled as "K-Mart," is a chain of discount department stores. The chain acquired Sears in 2005, forming a new corporation under the name Sears Holdings Corporation. The company was founded in 1962 and is the third largest discount store chain in the world, behind Wal-Mart and...
). The strategy proved to be successful for Duckwall-ALCO and as of June 2008 there are 205 ALCO stores and 59 Duckwall stores.
The company previously experimented with a combination discount and food store called C.O.L.A. (Cost of Living Adjusters) in Mineral Wells, Texas
Mineral Wells, Texas
Mineral Wells is a city in Palo Pinto and Parker counties in the U.S. state of Texas. The population was 16,946 at the 2000 census. The city is named for mineral springs in the area, which were highly popular in the early 1900s...
, which was discontinued. The company also began a supercenter concept, ALCO Market Place, by providing limited perishable goods. (There is only one store that is a ALCO Market Place in the United States) These stores are considerably smaller than Wal-Mart's or Target's supercenter stores.
The company's headquarters, as well as their 352000 square feet (32,701.9 m²) distribution center are all located in Abilene, Kansas
Abilene, Kansas
Abilene is a city in and the county seat of Dickinson County, Kansas, United States. As of the 2010 census, the city population was 6,844.-History:...
.
In 2010, the company reported to open 8 more new stores in the U.S.
Duckwall-ALCO stores announced on November 29, 2010 that it will close all 44 of its Duckwall stores. Forty-three of the stores will be closed permanently, except for one in Hettinger, N.D. which will be reopened as an ALCO.
In the Fall of 2011, Duckwall-ALCO stores Open it fist store in Dallas-Fort Worth area of Texas in Grand Prairie, Texas
Grand Prairie, Texas
Grand Prairie is a city in Dallas, Ellis, and Tarrant counties in the U.S. state of Texas and is a part of the Mid-Cities region in the Dallas–Fort Worth metroplex. Grand Prairie is a suburb of both Dallas and Fort Worth and had a population of 175,396 at the 2010 census.- History :The city of...
.
Acquisitions
Duckwall-ALCO has grown through various acquisitions over the years.- 1983 - Sterling Stores Co. Inc was acquired. Based in Little Rock, ArkansasLittle Rock, ArkansasLittle Rock is the capital and the largest city of the U.S. state of Arkansas. The Metropolitan Statistical Area had a population of 699,757 people in the 2010 census...
, it operated 48 stores under the Sterling and Magic Mart names in MississippiMississippiMississippi is a U.S. state located in the Southern United States. Jackson is the state capital and largest city. The name of the state derives from the Mississippi River, which flows along its western boundary, whose name comes from the Ojibwe word misi-ziibi...
and ArkansasArkansasArkansas is a state located in the southern region of the United States. Its name is an Algonquian name of the Quapaw Indians. Arkansas shares borders with six states , and its eastern border is largely defined by the Mississippi River...
. The majority of these stores were converted to either ALCO or Duckwall stores, though the Sterling nameplate was maintained until 2005 when the final Sterling store in Little Rock, ArkansasLittle Rock, ArkansasLittle Rock is the capital and the largest city of the U.S. state of Arkansas. The Metropolitan Statistical Area had a population of 699,757 people in the 2010 census...
was closed. - 1984 - David's in Wichita, KansasWichita, KansasWichita is the largest city in the U.S. state of Kansas.As of the 2010 census, the city population was 382,368. Located in south-central Kansas on the Arkansas River, Wichita is the county seat of Sedgwick County and the principal city of the Wichita metropolitan area...
- 1985 - Hornsby, a 9-store chain based in IllinoisIllinoisIllinois is the fifth-most populous state of the United States of America, and is often noted for being a microcosm of the entire country. With Chicago in the northeast, small industrial cities and great agricultural productivity in central and northern Illinois, and natural resources like coal,...
, was acquired. - 1996 - Val chain of 14 stores in IndianaIndianaIndiana is a US state, admitted to the United States as the 19th on December 11, 1816. It is located in the Midwestern United States and Great Lakes Region. With 6,483,802 residents, the state is ranked 15th in population and 16th in population density. Indiana is ranked 38th in land area and is...
and OhioOhioOhio is a Midwestern state in the United States. The 34th largest state by area in the U.S.,it is the 7th‑most populous with over 11.5 million residents, containing several major American cities and seven metropolitan areas with populations of 500,000 or more.The state's capital is Columbus...
, with headquarters in New Castle, IndianaNew Castle, IndianaAs of the census of 2000, there were 17,780 people, 7,462 households, and 4,805 families residing in the city. The population density was 2,987.5 people per square mile . There were 8,042 housing units at an average density of 1,351.3 per square mile...
, was acquired. - 1997 - Acquired 18 stores from Perry Brothers, located in TexasTexasTexas is the second largest U.S. state by both area and population, and the largest state by area in the contiguous United States.The name, based on the Caddo word "Tejas" meaning "friends" or "allies", was applied by the Spanish to the Caddo themselves and to the region of their settlement in...
and New MexicoNew MexicoNew Mexico is a state located in the southwest and western regions of the United States. New Mexico is also usually considered one of the Mountain States. With a population density of 16 per square mile, New Mexico is the sixth-most sparsely inhabited U.S...
, which were converted to Duckwall stores.
External links
- Duckwall-ALCO Stores Website
- Duckwall-ALCO History
- Photo of a Duckwall's store in Concordia, KansasConcordia, KansasConcordia is a city in and the county seat of Cloud County, Kansas, United States. Located on the Republican River in the Smoky Hills region of the Great Plains, Concordia was founded in 1871 and is an economic and cultural center in north-central Kansas...