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Photo by KELVIN MA/staff

Wesley Bailey sands down the ceiling molding in the study at 5007 W. Spring Lake Dr. on Oct. 24, 2007. Bailey and his father run Bailey and Son Woodworking, installing custom wood rooms out of their studio/shop in Thonotosassa. "Other contractors think we're crazy, spending an entire day sanding down a room," Wesley Bailey said. "When you're not completely driven by profit, you can do that."

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By JOYCE McKENZIE The Tampa Tribune

Published: November 14, 2007

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THONOTOSASSA - Even after all these years, hardly a day passes when 56-year-old Kent Bailey isn't reminded of his sixth-grade shop teacher, Mr. Miers.

It was Miers who taught him that if he were going to be successful in life, he needed to follow some basic principles: Pay attention, and prepare before you perform.

"He taught the old-school way. During the first few weeks of his class, you listened closely to what he said and you watched what he did, and then you applied what you learned to your drawings and finally to your hands-on work," Bailey said.

To this day, the Thonotosassa resident and his son Wesley, 28, owners of Bailey and Son Woodworking, use that same philosophy when designing, building and installing custom woodwork in upscale homes throughout the Tampa Bay area.

"That method still holds in every job we do," said the elder Bailey, the father of six children who started the company in 1972 after spending years as a licensed trim carpenter working for subcontractors.

Kent Bailey's architectural prowess, much of which he has passed along to Wesley, includes drafting and crafting wood-paneled ceilings and wall units for home offices and study rooms. He also builds mantels, kitchen and bath cabinets and antique glass door panels. Most of their clients are acquired through word of mouth, interior designers and contractors.

"I put away my T-square and drawing board when I computerized in the 1980s," said Kent Bailey, noting, however, that he still uses some traditional hand tools and adheres to many of the standards of yesteryear.

The Baileys work out of a 2,000-square-foot, dome-shaped shop secluded under a canopy of trees off U.S. 301 in Thonotosassa, where there is also additional covered storage space for lumber and tools.

"It sure beats a square box, and it helps the juices flow," Kent Bailey said.

Wesley Bailey especially likes the windowless concrete building because the air inside tends to stay cooler than that on the outside. But, on extremely hot and humid days, they have got air conditioning to keep them comfortable and protect their computers and other equipment.

"It also has a practical shape for maneuvering long pieces of board," he said.

Many custom woodworking projects, including those they have installed in residences of some high-profile clients, began in that workplace.

They include arched maple hardwood bookcases with raised columns and ceiling panels for the library in the 17,488-square-foot Odessa home of Bill Baumgart, chief executive officer of Transcontinental Title Co.; a solid American cherry- and mahogany-paneled study with a gun cabinet and fishing rod stand for the New Port Richey home of avid sportsman and Riviera Pools owner Bill Molter; and a home office for South Tampa resident and Amalie Oil Co. Chief Operating Officer Rick Barkett that consists of a hard maple-paneled ceiling and walls, computer desk and angled bookcases, including one that is moveable to conceal a doorway leading to a bedroom.

The Barkett project earned Bailey and Son Woodworking the 2005 Best of Show in Custom Woodworking Business magazine's design portfolio awards contest.

The company received an honorable mention in the 2006 contest for the Baumgart library design, as well as an honorable mention in 2002 for a cherry hardwood home office project in South Tampa. Molter said Kent Bailey is the "consummate professional."

"I can't say enough about his work. The guy's incredible," Molter said. "What they put together is just a work of art."

Todd Johnson of Odessa, who commissioned Bailey and Son to build custom cabinets for his great room, agreed.

"He does awesome work, and he's the kind of guy you don't mind paying because he probably puts in more time than he should," Johnson said. "His attention to detail is incredible. You can really tell he loves what he does."

The Baileys also have designed, manufactured and installed woodworking projects for the homes of Vince Namoli, former owner of the Tampa Bay Devil Rays; Ringhaver Equipment Co. owner Lance Ringhaver; and billionaire Eddie DeBartolo, a real estate tycoon and former owner of the San Francisco 49ers.

Wesley Bailey said that when he joined his dad in the business, he didn't realize the significance of working in tandem with such a knowledgeable and talented craftsman.

"It was just a way of making money, but I came to recognize he's given me a whole world of opportunity," Wesley Bailey said. "But, Dad has no plans to retire anytime soon. He'll probably always have a piece of wood in his hands."

The gratification that comes with having satisfied customers is what keeps Kent Bailey charged.

"The work becomes extremely personal because we put a lot of creative energy into these projects," Kent Bailey said. "When we finish, it's like seeing your kid go off to college, and when you see these people later, it's like seeing an old friend."

MAKING CONTACT

Visit www.baileyandson.com or call (813) 986-7819.

Reporter Joyce McKenzie can be reached at (813) 865-4849 or jmckenzie@tampatrib .com.

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