Coastal Shipping is changing hands. Mike Elkins has purchased the 17-year-old Boothbay Harbor business from owner Bob Roberts, who has decided to retire.

Elkins has decided to relocate the business from 36 McKown Street, its former location, to 14 Todd Avenue, just around the corner and near the town office parking lot.

Both Elkins and Roberts appeared before the Boothbay Harbor Planning Board on Oct. 1 to make sure the building was approved to run a packing and shipping business. Coastal Shipping provides services with FedEx and UPS, ranging from a package drop-off location to full-service packing and shipping.

The building at 36 McKown was sold last August to Don and Liana Kingsbury of nearby pet supply store, Two Salty Dogs, who welcomed Elkins to stay, but he felt the new location would be beneficial to the business because of better traffic management and the fact that parking is available both on and off street.

Delivery trucks will also be able to pull into parking spaces, or into the large on-street area where Coastal Shipping's parking area is, which has no parking spaces. This would only block the Coastal Shipping lot so it wouldn't inconvenience anyone else.

According to Elkins, he plans to expand operations and offer large package pick-up and drop-off at 103 Industrial Park Road in Boothbay.

“This new service should help decrease large vehicle congestion in the harbor. In addition to this primary business activity, I intend to furnish the space with furniture we manufacture in Boothbay as a design kiosk for retail clientèle,” Elkins said.

The old painted "Coastal Shipping" sign will be moved from the old building and placed over the front entrance door on the gable end of the building to “have a little bit of Bob left,” Elkins said.

“They'll be lots of Bob left for the first week or so,” Roberts added, as he plans to stay on for a little bit to help Elkins along.

After a few questions about parking and traffic management, the planning board voted unanimously to approve the application. The planning board offered their thanks to Roberts for his many years of service to the community.