A Sanibel Legacy That Lives On

Serving the Islands Since 1899

From a small general store to an island tradition, Bailey's has proudly served generations of residents and visitors with quality, resilience, and a commitment to community.

Bailey’s has a rich history of serving our islands for over 125 years—as a business and as a community citizen.

Frank Bailey, one of the early settlers on Sanibel Island, founded Bailey’s General Store in 1899 on San Carlos Bay. He saw the need for farmers to have access to necessities beyond the food produced locally.

The store quickly became a vital resource and a social hub. After a hurricane destroyed the first location in 1926, an undaunted Frank Bailey built a new one deeper into the island. A new, much larger store replaced it in 1966 to better serve the growing population. That location was wiped out by Hurricane Ian in 2022. A smaller store, A Bit of Bailey’s, opened in 2025, joining The Island Store on Captiva to keep the Bailey spirit alive. Planning proceeds on the new Bailey Center to replace the previous site on Periwinkle Way.

 Bailey’s has remained a family-owned business throughout its history. Sam Bailey and Francis Bailey (a founding father of the City of Sanibel) carried on their father's legacy of service. Today, the third and fourth generations, the Johnsons, maintain that commitment to quality, community, and the people of our islands.

We're proud to be here–and proud to serve you!