Growing up in Dallas, his family often visited Santa Fe and Taos in New Mexico, where he found blue and green malachite and azurite ore from mine tailings.

He began selling rocks on card tables in front of the family's home and by 12 was selling rocks wholesale to craft stores.

That background, from the mid-1960s, has resulted in his first store, Earthly Elements, at 121 N. Market St.

His passion for rocks led him to the University of Texas at El Paso, where he became a geologist. He worked for oil and gas companies, then entered the information technology field for both EDS and back into the oil and gas industry.

"In 1995, I left the corporate world completely," he said at the shop, filled with all types of rocks, minerals and beads.

"I moved to the Chesapeake Bay, lived on a boat and became a certified boatmaster," he said. "I still have my Coast Guard license," he said, which is displayed on the wall at the shop.

In 2000, he got married and went back into information technology. He worked in project management for the rebuilding of Poplar Island in the bay for the Maryland Environmental Service.

"I was doing some other contract jobs, but last fall my wife and I decided to open a store," he said. His wife, Jessica, is a physical therapist at Washington County Hospital and they have a three-year-old son.

They had been selling rocks and beads at art and craft shows. The Middletown residents design and create jewelry, which has been popular in the shop, Bailey said.

"I chose Earthly Elements because 'Bailey's Rock Shop' might sound like a different kind of place," he said. He does have a sign out front that says "rock shop."

"There are basically four types of customers," Bailey said. "There are rock hounds, who collect rocks and minerals; metaphysical people who believe the rocks have power; jewelry makers and those who need lapidary supplies."

For the latter, Bailey offers Estwing Geological Tools and Lortone brand equipment.

The shop has more than 50 different types of tumbled stones, as well as spheres, eggs and rock candle holders.

"We will be teaching wire wrap jewelry-making and beading classes later on," he said. The shop also gets new items every two weeks.

Bailey sees the store as much as an educational tool as a retail business. He likes to explain to people about different rocks and minerals.

"I spoke to a third-grade class recently and would like to do that more. Also for Scouts for their geology badge," he said.

One of the most popular parts of the shop is where customers, for a cost, can crack a geode. A geode has a hollow section inside from an air bubble trapped when the rock was formed. "Kids really love to do it because it cracks and pops and they get to be the first one to open it up inside."

He gets the stones from around the world, he said, from Brazil and South Africa to Morocco and Germany, China, Canada and the U.S. "I know a lot of mine owners around the world and wholesalers. The rock trade is interesting. Sometimes the minerals may pass through 3 or 4 hands before they end up in a retail shop."

Bailey said he designed the shop to be comfortable as well. "I want it to be a place they will hang out and enjoy themselves. I love talking with people."

He said downtown Frederick was perfect for his shop. "This is not the kind of shop you find in a mall. It had to be between LaPaz and Brewer's Alley," he said.

When Southwest Creations relocated to Gettysburg, Pa., it opened up the right place.

"I won't compete with the other shops in town. We are different," he said, noting it is the only full-service rock shop in Maryland run by a geologist.

He joined the Downtown Frederick Partnership and praised the camaraderie of other downtown merchants.

Bailey is also working on Frederick 's first gem and mineral show, set for Dec. 1-2 at the Cultural Arts Center downtown.

Hours are noon to 6 p.m. Tuesday through Saturday, "but we will have extra hours on Friday and Saturday during busy times of the year."

For information, call 301-631-5511 or e-mail RB@earthlyrocks.com.

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