Bailey’s ornament features historic family photo
Bailey’s General Store on Sanibel recently unveiled its 2024 Christmas ornament, which honors the past, present and future of the store through the generations as it celebrates 125 years in business.
It features a historic family photo of “Francis, Sam, and John Bailey with their mother, Annie Mead Matthews Bailey, in the bow of the Success, crossing San Carlos Bay to Sanibel” from the mainland in the late 1920s, according to information from the historical archives at the Sanibel Public Library.
“As we celebrate 125 years in business, it is important we look back and celebrate those that came before us,” Bailie Johnson, one of the fourth generation owner-operators, shared of why the image was picked for this year’s ornament. “We are standing on the shoulders of their hard work and tenacity.”
Francis Bailey learned to operate Bailey’s General Store alongside his father, Frank, the founder. After taking the reins from Frank, Francis stewarded the business through challenges of years past such as the opening of the Sanibel Causeway, as well as many of the same difficulties islanders still face today, such as Hurricane Donna.
“Here’s to another 125 years of Bailey’s General Store,” the family shared.
This year’s annual ornament is a small way for the third and fourth generations of owner-operators to maintain a connection with customers while the fourth iteration of the store and center is rebuilt.
The tradition began in 2009 with an idea driven by one of Bailey’s longtime staff members, Pat Kiely. Kiely’s unfailing dedication to the Bailey’s brand led to her creation of the first ornament, custom-made and gold-plated by the Charleston Mint, which featured the Bailey’s logo. It has since sold out forever.
The 2024 ornament can be purchased from The Island Store on Captiva, which is also operated by the family and its staff, or by visiting Bailey’s online store at https://baileysofsanibel.myshopify.com/.
The Island Store is at 1500 Andy Rosse Lane, Captiva.