Chamber Member of the Week: Hometown IGA

August 2, 2021 | 12:08 am

Updated August 2, 2021 | 7:54 pm

IGA

The Independent Grocers Association — commonly known as Hometown IGA — purchased Wyndall’s Foodland precisely 14 years ago yesterday. IGA is owned by Houchens Industries and prides itself on creating a personal shopping experience for its customers. 

District Manager Andy Trice said the store operates like a traditional and conventional grocery store, and they strive to excel in customer services. The store sources much of its produce locally and regularly promotes local barbecue sauces, meats, and dips. 

“Our brand has been around for decades … I can’t tell you how many people have told me that their parents and grandparents shopped at IGA,” Trice said. “We place a huge emphasis on buying as much local produce and products as possible — Reid’s Orchard has been one of our biggest outlets — it’s been huge for both of us.”

The store attributes much of its success to the loyal customer base and artisan way of doing things. They still have meat cutters and butchers in the meat department, grocery baggers, cashiers, a deli, and a bakery. 

“We can custom cut any piece of meat however you want, and our deli features hand-breaded fried chicken and a wide array of side options,” Trice said. “We also have two bonafide cake directors on staff. We are emphasizing the deli and bakery part of their business; customers seem to be receiving that well and appreciate it.”

IGA is also making a push to cater to those that value farm-fresh and organic produce. Trice said he had seen a transition from customers buying less processed foods to more fresh and healthy options and that local sources have played a pivotal role in keeping up with demand. 

“We have several healthy options, and that’s carrying over to our customer base as well — we’re selling more produce items than ever before, and the majority is sourced locally,” he said. “We are constantly running to Marlene’s Garden Center for tomatoes; she said she can’t grow them fast enough. We also have peaches from Reid’s that we sell a lot of.”

In addition to the 25th Street location, IGA also has a location on the northwest side on Carter Road. Both stores have undergone significant renovations, especially the 25th Street spot that added new compressors, new meat and produce cases, freezers, and a new deli case. 

While the stores aren’t quite as big as the larger box stores, Trice said it is their customer service that should do more than make up for it. 

“It’s definitely a more personalized shopping experience — we want to know our customers’ names,” he said. “We always want to go the extra mile; we will carry items to your car for you if requested. We hope our customer service will far exceed expectations.”

The store runs ads from Wednesday through Thursday. Those are available on iga.com as well as at both locations. 

Trice added that Houchens is pleased with the response of the Owensboro community, and they consider themselves “blessed” to be a part of the community.


The Chamber Member of the Week program is a membership benefit of the Greater Owensboro Chamber of Commerce. Founded in 1913, the Greater Owensboro Chamber of Commerce has worked for over a century to provide valuable benefits and services to member businesses and individuals.

Today, with a membership base of nearly 1,000, the Chamber is a guiding force in community and business development initiatives, serving as the center of business advocacy for the Greater Owensboro region.

To learn more about becoming the Chamber Member of the Week or to inquire about Chamber membership, contact Shelly Nichols, Chamber Vice President, at 270-926-1860 or [email protected].

August 2, 2021 | 12:08 am

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