Honoring Our Founder: George Kutsunis

At Four Seasons, our story begins with George W. Kutsunis — a man with retail in his blood, a strong work ethic, and the vision to build something lasting.

In 1962, George is a recent Augustana College graduate working at John Deere. But even then, he knows he wants something more. Retailing is part of his family history and part of who he is. His father, William Kutsunis, owned and operated the Leader Store in downtown Geneseo for many years, so George grows up understanding both the hard work and the opportunity that come with serving customers well.

On April 17, 1962, George opens the Merry-Go-Round Store at 104 South State Street in Geneseo, Illinois. Like many great business stories, it starts humbly. George later recalls, “The first day, I didn’t have a single customer in the store until 11:00 a.m. My total sales for the day were $120.00. I was the only employee, I washed the windows, hung all of the merchandise, ticketed, and rang the register.”

That image says so much about who George is. He is willing to do everything it takes. He is not afraid of hard work. He builds the business one customer, one day, and one decision at a time.

Over the years, George grows the business beyond Geneseo, opening stores in Davenport, Iowa; Princeton, Illinois; Peoria, Illinois; and Iowa City, Iowa. What begins with one store and one person becomes a respected regional retail business known for quality women’s apparel and personal service.

George also understands the power of marketing and memorable brand identity. In 1978, he hires spokesperson Mary Best, one of the first RCA Color Girls featured on early color television sets. George creates the character name Sophie and features her in local commercials. Her famous line, “Tell ’em Sophie sent you,” becomes well known throughout the entire region. That campaign helps put Four Seasons on the map and reinforces its reputation for high-quality ladies apparel.

But the Four Seasons story is not only about growth. It is also about family.

On April 12, 1992, Linda Kutsunis opens Pegasus Fine Gifts in the heart of downtown Geneseo. Pegasus becomes a beautiful, curated gift store filled with charm, personality, and seasonal delight. Over time, it grows to include homemade fudge made in-store in 20 flavors every day, a Hallmark Gold Crown department, and a coffee and espresso bar. Together, George and Linda create businesses that become woven into the fabric of the community.

Also in 1992, George and Linda’s daughter, Katie Kutsunis, becomes an active member of the family business. Katie goes on to play a major leadership role, contributing to the day-to-day management of seven stores and helping open the newest location in Galesburg, Illinois. In recent years, she also becomes the face and voice of the company, creating daily videos that connect directly with customers and bring the Four Seasons personality to life in a fresh and modern way.

Today, more than six decades later, Four Seasons continues to grow and change while staying true to the values George establishes from the beginning. We remain committed to offering the latest fashions in Petite, Missy, and Plus sizes, along with the small-town customer service that has always defined us.

That is one of the most important parts of George’s legacy. He does not just build stores. He builds a standard. He creates a culture of service, hard work, perseverance, and care for the customer. He helps shape a business that understands women want fashion that fits, looks good, and feels good, and that they deserve to be treated with honesty and respect.

George’s story is one of entrepreneurship, family, resilience, and vision. From washing windows and ticketing merchandise himself on day one, to growing a regional brand known across generations, he creates something truly meaningful.

We are proud of where we come from. We are grateful for the foundation George builds. And we are honored to carry that story forward every single day.

George Kutsunis is the heart of where Four Seasons begins — and his legacy continues in every store, every customer relationship, and every chapter still being written.