David and Maggie Bailey purchased the Anchorage Inn from Dave and Diane Binder in June 2021, and they are continuing to focus on being strong contributors to the local community.
David and Maggie met in 1976 at the Pentagon where they both were in the military serving on the personal staff of Admiral James L. Holloway III, the Chief of Naval Operations. They married in 1989 and have a daughter, Jeanie, who lives in Temecula, California with her husband Sean Conley and a step-son, Justin Bailey, in Reno with his wife, Michelle and three daughters Maggie's brother, Jim Thomas and his wife Tori, have a home in Greenbank, and she and David had visited Whidbey Island frequently leading up to their retirement. Maggie retired as a finance professor and university administrator and David as a deputy sheriff. Both explain that they were looking for a new adventure.
In November 2020, they wanted a brief escape from COVID and decided to spend Thanksgiving on Whidbey Island. It was during that brief respite they noticed that the Anchorage Inn had a For Sale sign in the front yard.
After learning that the Anchorage Inn was for sale, the Baileys did a lot of research on the town of Coupeville, including visiting other inns on Whidbey. Maggie has a background in business strategy and sketched out a business plan. As part of their process in learning about the Anchorage Inn, they returned to the island in December and had long visits with Dave and Diane Binder, who had owned the inn for over 20 years. During the Binders’ time as inn keepers, they built a strong reputation of excellence and the inn received many awards including top rankings from Air B&B, Booking.com, Bed and Breakfast.com, and Trip Advisor.
David and Maggie Bailey want to maintain the quality experiences the inn has provided while the Binders were the Inn Keepers, plus they want to add additional benefits to staying at the Inn. Particularly important to the Baileys is emphasizing the history of Coupeville and Whidbey Island and the many opportunities the island has too offer. Maggie says, “We want to encourage guests to learn about the history of the island, visit the shops, , tour the museum, take in the art studios, the state parks, wineries, trails and other iconic places during their visit to Whidbey .” They are also looking forward to highlighting local artists and artisans in the Inn décor.
Another value that the Baileys want to share with their guests is a high quality of guest services and a feeling of being “at home.” They plan to continue the outstanding breakfasts that are part of the reputation of Anchorage Inn. Maggie comments, “I do all the cooking and I am continuing to use several of the recipes that Diane and Dave created for their guests.”
The Baileys also have a long-range plan to make updates and improvements to the Inn including a 2022 extensive remodel of the guest rooms. The remodels will reflect historic Whidbey Island.
To make a reservation for yourself or family members coming for a Whidbey visit, contact the Anchorage Inn through their website; http://www.anchorage-inn.com/, or give them a call at 360-678-5581. The Baileys add, “If you book directly with us, you will save.”
