Retail sales have resumed under a new owner at La Gemma Fine Italian Pastries.

La Gemma founder Roberta Campani on March 31 closed the 2323 S. 17th St. store to walk-in customers so that she could focus on the bakery’s burgeoning farmers market sales.

Campani, looking to spend more time with family, also sought a buyer for La Gemma, which she and her husband, Jim Gannon, launched in late 2008. Wilmington resident Ben Rose, who helped open the late NOFO restaurant at The Forum shopping center, purchased the business this fall.

Rose unlocked La Gemma’s doors last week. Campani remains in the kitchen for the next several months teaching Rose, a experienced baker himself, her brand of Italian bread and pastry arts.

“I don’t want to change too much,” Rose said of his plans for La Gemma once Campani leaves. “La Gemma has such a faithful following, I didn’t want to lose any respect for what Roberta and Jim have built.”

La Gemma hours are 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Tuesday-Friday and 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. Saturday. Rose promised to maintain regular business hours at the store and continue La Gemma’s presence at area farmers markets.

For the holiday season, La Gemma offers assorted Italian specialties including panettone, struffoli, various tarts and fancy cookies and cakes, Campani said. She and Rose also have developed a fresh take on the bakery’s popular, thin, crunchy Music Paper Bread by adding a layer of tomato sauce and herbs on the sheets. The bakery’s new gluten-free line has expanded, too.

Rose said he hasn’t decided what he may add to the mix, although he did say, “I make a really good cheesecake.”

Born in Clinton, Rose grew up with old-fashioned, homemade Southern desserts such as pecan pie, banana pudding and layer cakes. His cooking career began at a wholesale bakery that produced 300 to 400 cakes a week, Rose said. After five years at NOFO, Rose went to work as a law firm’s legal administrator, but the kitchen never stopped calling.

“I find the whole process calming,” Rose said of baking, “and who doesn’t need calm.”