Bailey’s General S tore
Mead, Richard, Calli, Bailie and Dane Johnson
When Mead and Richard Johnson took over the family business in 2008, they did it under the radar, quietly buying it from Mead’s father. Now the fourth generation, or G-4s, are in the house and making their mark on Bailey’s General Store on Sanibel Island.
Calli manages the wine program, Bailie is the office manager and Dane is the facilities engineer. He jokes, “A majority of my work is ‘behind the scenes,’ so a lot of customers may not see me as much as our daily Baileys.”
Mead says she and Richard never pressured their children to join the business. They just wanted them to be happy and hoped they provided the right tools for success. “We always tried to step back and let them make their own decisions so they’d be prepared in life. I think that has worked to their advantage—and to ours as well,” Mead explains.
Dane notes about working together, “We all three excel at completely different things and are able to bring them together into our business model.”
Mead says perhaps the most important thing is, “They are instrumental in keeping us parallel with the times and technology. My dad did not embrace technology that much so we are catching up.”
Calli says about the G-4s, “We bring fresh ideas to the table so we can maintain a competitive presence in the grocery market.” Her father agrees, adding, “People don’t shop like they used to 20 or even five years ago.”
In the coming 18 to 24 months, the “store is being redeveloped,” according to Richard, “physical and experiential.” He explains, “We feel strongly this is the fourth generation’s significant contribution to the future of the business. I think the community will be very pleased with what they see over the next few years.”
Bailie adds, “I think my siblings and I all recognize how fortunate we are to be involved in the family business, especially as the fourth generation. We want to honor our heritage while bringing the business into the future and current times.”
Flavors to Savor: Smoked meats and fish. Powered by cherry wood, a smoker in the back of the store cooks everything from ribs and chicken to the fish used in Bailey’s famous dips.
Now the fourth generation, or G-4s, are in the house and making their mark on Bailey’s General Store on Sanibel Island.