Historical Jack London Village Has Sold

Jack London Village, the historical commercial property in Glen Ellen named after the famed author, has sold to a South Bay property manager for $1,750,000.

The complex houses shops, wineries and restaurants in buildings dating back to the mid-19th century; they are some of the oldest in Sonoma County. A working waterwheel once powered a grist mill on the property and a distillery and winery were later added.

Janis Joplin and Van Morrison once used a crashpad there, according to Susan Irvine, who represented the seller, Westamerica Bank, in the deal.

“Everyone loves this place, and we all wanted to see it preserved,” Irvine said. “There is nothing anywhere that is like it. What a history these buildings have, from the resident ghost to the old recording studio and crash pad that Janis Joplin and Van Morrison used."

Folklore tells of the ghosts of previous owners inhabiting the buildings, according to this article in the local Kenwood Press.

for a year. The original asking price was $2.95 million. Irvine said she fielded daily phone calls from prospective buyers and the Village was in escrow three times. She is part of Frank Howard Allen Realtors.

The new owner is Stephen Coates, a property manager from the South Bay who spends time in the Sonoma Valley. Irvine said the tenants are excited to have a landlord with the vision to make the Village a destination.