Editor’s note: This is one in a series of stories about the five 2026 IGNITE finalists.
Great Bend Economic Development plans to announce its 2026 IGNITE winner Oct. 8 at the historic Crest Theater. Five finalists were recently named and include: Great Bend Play Place; Little Window Restaurant Group; Sugar Co.; The Book Cellar; and The Zarah Coffee Shop.
“These entrepreneurs have demonstrated vision, passion, and the drive to make an impact in Barton County,” Jason Kuilan, Executive Director for Great Bend Economic Development, said. “Now they’ll take the stage to pitch their businesses for a chance to win a share of $95,000 in prize funding, including the $50,000 grand prize.”
The Book Cellar is a book and liquor store in Claflin, owned by Kelsey Hall and Rebecca Kratzer. The two said they aim to create a curated and personalized experience for customers.
“The idea for The Book Cellar came from an unsuccessful shopping trip in Great Bend,” Hall said. “When we were unable to find a book for a friend at Walmart, we tried to think of other places in Barton County where we could find a book and couldn’t come up with a single one.”
The duo said the biggest challenge they’ve faced so far is dealing with the limits of their liquor license that does not allow private events, requires a strict sales ratio, and prohibits hosting outside vendors.
“But the most rewarding part of our journey has been watching new customers light up with shock and joy as they first walk in,” Kratzer said. “A combo like ours is rare, but even more so in a rural area.”
The two decided to apply for the IGNITE program to expand to offer more events, sell more books, and provide a space for their community.
“Our current space still needs work so all of our available funds go to that, rather than being able to create the expansion of our dreams,” Hall said. “If we won the grand prize, we would make necessary repairs to our current space, expand our footprint to include more inventory, and begin work on an event space next door.”
The owners said they have appreciated the level of support throughout the IGNITE process.
“It is clear that everyone involved in the IGNITE competition wants to see local small businesses succeed,” Kratzer said.
The business owners hope to have an impact on many aspects of the Barton County community by hosting events that attract visitors, filling the need of a bookstore in the county and supporting other downtown businesses.
Hall is the mother of four.
“I’m an endless honey-do-list wife, and an accidental entrepreneur,” she said. “I enjoy making things, eating delicious food, reading too many books and ingesting too much caffeine.”
Kratzer is the mother of two, describes herself as a homebody and is a self-proclaimed nerd.
“I love math, science, theater, reading, and board games and I’m always down to chat about books, especially fantasy, romance, and psychological thrillers,” she said. “And I love all the sweet drinks!”
The two offered advice for someone thinking of starting their own business.
“Go for it,” Hall said. “There will never be a perfect time and you’ll always be able to come up with a reason not to. Focus on why you should and do it!”
Kratzer advised to go slowly and to thoughtfully consider your options.
“The most important part of starting our business was having a network of support; having people close to you to pick up the slack as you focus on the business is important and so is a team of people with the business expertise to give you guidance, including the things you don’t want to hear,” she said.
The 2026 IGNITE winner is announced live Oct. 8.
