Some retail journeys start with a business plan. Kelly Gutzwiller's started with a family function, a business one day away from being sold, and a decision made without ever looking at the books.
Versailles IGA was founded 12 years ago by Kelly's parents and brother. When Kelly's father passed away during COVID, her brother kept the store running, but it wasn't the same without him. Kelly was in a corporate career at the time, but between her brother's heartbreak and her own restlessness for change, she made a choice: step in and give it a try.
"It was a step of faith," she says.
Kelly spoke with IGA CEO John Ross for an episode of For the Greater Good about taking over the store and partnering with her brother Daren Wood. Watch below or keep reading for a recap of their conversation.
Today, she runs the store in partnership with Daren and her mother, who serve as trusted advisors while she leads day-to-day operations, and she and Daren are one set of IGA's 2026 Centennial Retailers of the Year.
That leap has paid off in a store built around genuine local connection. Kelly's team still cuts fresh meat in-house, a rarity in the area that draws customers from well beyond town. The deli runs a daily lunch special priced for locals, with regulars stopping in as early as 9:00 a.m. to grab chicken for later. And the store leans hard into the specialty items big chains skip — like Milnot, a product customers say they can't find anywhere else — because knowing exactly what the community wants is the advantage an independent has that a cookie-cutter chain never will.
That local-first mindset extends to sourcing, too. Versailles IGA brings in produce from a nearby local auction and partners with area businesses, choosing to complement rather than compete with them, in addition to their main sourcing from LDC Associated Wholesale Grocers. It's a philosophy that shows up in how the store gives back: first-priority support goes to essential community services — fire departments, legions, and similar organizations — alongside steady support for school fundraisers and local causes throughout the year.
Ask Kelly for the one piece of advice she'd give someone considering the same leap, and she doesn't hesitate: build a good team, take care of them, and don't skimp on that investment. The second piece follows close behind: get comfortable with risk.
"You're going to fail and get up and try again," she says, describing a culture where associates are encouraged to try something new on an endcap or test a different display, without fear of getting it wrong.
Looking ahead, Kelly's already planning her next moves: rolling out curbside pickup, bringing the deli online for ordering, and adding a filtered water system; all signs of a leader who has stayed open to new ideas even while building on what already works.
For independent grocers facing their own unexpected turning point, like a family transition, a hard decision, or a business that needs someone to simply say yes, Kelly's story is proof that courage, a strong team, and deep community roots can turn a leap of faith into a store the whole town is proud of.
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