Steele Creek Manor to become a B&B

BRISTOL, Tenn. - Though the old walls of Steele Creek Manor in Bristol, Tenn., look much as they have for the past 100 years, there is a frenzy of activity going on inside, led by the historic building’s owner and local entrepreneur, Stephen Bailey.

Currently, Bailey is at the tail end of a complete renovation of the historic structure, which he plans to open as a bed and breakfast and banquet facility by the end of the year. In addition, he has just completed the renovation of the old Salvage Grocery, across Highway 126 from the manor. The former grocery is now a full service, state-of-the-art recording studio.

That studio should come in handy since Bailey is the owner and operator of DJ Express, a company he founded more than 20 years ago that provides disc jockey and sound production services.

Though he was raised in Scotland and lived there until he was 24, Bailey was born in Kingsport, Tenn. He studied electrical and electronic engineering at Cardonald College and later Langside College, both in Glasgow, Scotland. After graduating, he decided to move back to the Tri-Cities area.

“I liked the weather here, because I was sick of being wet,” he said. “The problem with Scotland is it is cold and the rain is horizontal. You just kind of stayed damp. Scotland has a permanent dampness about it.”

Bailey worked several jobs in electronics in the Tri-Cities before he founded DJ Express, which provides DJ services for weddings and other events. The company then expanded into a live sound production company, producing the sound for live bands, festivals and events. As the company grew, it also branched into staging and lighting for the productions.

Meanwhile, Bailey briefly ran a side venture with his brother – a live dinner theater in Johnson City called the Highlander Dinner Theatre.

“We’d always done theater type things growing up and we always really enjoyed it,” Bailey said, “but it never made any money and the music thing was always a big draw.”

He then partnered in a music retail shop called Soundchek Music, in Bristol, Va., but it did not thrive in a struggling economy and closed in 2011. Now, Bailey is diversifying his business.

In February 2011, Bailey bought the old Salvage Grocery near Steele Creek. Over the past year, he and his crew of workers have been busy renovating the grocery into a state-of-the-art recording studio. After a year of work, including construction of a two-wall green screen for video production, Steele Creek Studio has opened for business.

“The studio offers us a chance to record in a studio setting instead of a live setting,” Bailey said. “I think we will be able to offer a depth of knowledge and skill that this area needs. Each of us has been in the music business for over 20 years.”

Now, both Steele Creek Studio and DJ Express operate under a newly created corporation, Express AV. In addition to numerous concerts, Express AV does sound production for the annual Rhythm and Roots Reunion in Bristol, as well as for the Blue Plum Festival in Johnson City, Fun Fest and Twilight Alive in Kingsport, Bristol’s Border Bash, events at Bristol Motor Speedway and recently the Electric 94.9 Acoustic Christmas at Freedom Hall in Johnson City.

Lucy Fleming, director of Fun Fest through the Kingsport Chamber of Commerce, said, “Stephen is a top-rate guy and I always know he’ll do a professional job – he is definitely my go-to guy,” she said. “He’s local and he’s well-equipped to handle the events we need. He’s very community minded – he does a lot of events because they are good for the community rather than a money-maker.”

Meanwhile, throughout the development of his music ventures, Bailey has been renovating Steele Creek Manor since he bought it 10 years ago.

“I always loved the place,” said Bailey. “I would much rather take something old that has some character than go buy something new. You can’t build character into a place – it has to be something that has been used and worn.”

Bailey has been living in the newer addition in the back of the manor while he works on the renovations.

“Buying a 125-year-old house seems crazy to people around here, but where I’m from, they’re all old,” Bailey said. “When I was growing up, we used to travel all over Scotland and stay at bed and breakfasts, and I always enjoyed the atmosphere.”

He hopes to have the renovations complete this year, though he admits it has been slow going.

 “We’ve pretty much done it all as I can afford it, and we’ve done all of the work ourselves,” he said. “I wanted to keep the character as intact as possible. We’ve saved the old floor boards, the original fireplaces and tiles, the moldings …everything we can.”

When completed, the bed and breakfast will have four guest rooms and a caretaker’s apartment, as well as a banquet room and facilities for catered events such as weddings.

“Stephen is one of the most driven people I’ve ever met,” said longtime friend and employee Jeff Lane. “He is always on a mission. Taking on ventures without profit to keep people working is a rare find in today’s businessman – I guess that’s what makes Stephen so different.”

“I just kind of enjoy what I do, whether it’s the renovating, the DJ business or sound production,” said Bailey. “If you spend 50 percent of your life working, you’d better find something that you like doing. It’s never been money or financially driven; it’s about being good at something that I enjoy doing. Even in the unsuccessful ventures, I’ve still enjoyed giving it a try.”

Throughout his many ventures, Bailey sticks with one all-important philosophy: “Do what you love,” he said. “I’ve been very fortunate to do something that I love to do. I think that’s the main reason for whatever success I’ve had is that I’ve been able to do something that I truly have a passion for.”