The Patton Block at 15 to 23 Commercial Street has been sold to a family from California, Patty Sterling-Welsh, husband Mark Welsh and their daughter Jaden.

The building has belonged to the Gimbel family since the late ’70s and to Mark and Dianne Gimbel most recently. Dianne Gimbel said the property derived its name from the previous owner, Bob Patton.

The building houses Gimbel & Sons Country Store Harbor Mart and two other storefronts, with three apartments above. The Boothbay Harbor Region Chamber of Commerce’s information center is next door to the market, and further down is the photography shop Wharfside Gallery.

Sterling-Welsh grew up in New England and still has family members in Phippsburg. Welsh mark grew up in New Mexico. The couple met in California. They sold their home outside San Diego before moving to Boothbay Harbor.

Sterling-Welsh said she and her husband had both been working hard and were looking for a change. “We looked at a few places, but when we saw this place we knew it was what we wanted.”

Two days before Christmas, the family learned the Gimbels had accepted their offer. “We had an incredible Christmas,” Sterling-Welsh said. “We were jumping for joy. I texted all my family and said, ‘Guess what – I’m an East-Coaster again.’ It’s been 27 years since I’ve been an East-Coaster.

“This is my dream place to be. I couldn’t be happier with how the transaction worked with the Gimbels.”

The Welshes will be running the Harbor Mart with some updates and a few changes in inventory. They said the store will be a little bit higher end, with more health-conscious foods and products, including organic coffees and hormone-free cream. A breakfast bar with burritos and muffins, to go with the coffee, will be available mornings; there will be a crock of chili in the winter and maybe some haddock chowder in the summer, and sandwiches for lunch, they said.

The name will change to the Boothbay Harbor Mart & Country Store.

In a phone interview, Dianne Gimbel said she’s excited about the new owners. “Patty sent such a nice letter with her offer. No one has ever done that before. She said that it was important that we know how much she and her husband want to be a part of the community.”

Sterling-Welsh explained, “I’m very active in women’s groups and we want to be more than just store owners. We’re here to be part of the community. Vacationers will always come but community is all year round.”

The market will be open every day, and the new owners are open to suggestions, so stop in and introduce yourself and tell them what you’d like to see.