Eureka, CA – Humboldt Herbals will be celebrating 15 years this February of helping customers find the herbal remedies they need for themselves, their children and their pets to live healthier lives.

What began as a mail order catalog in February 1998 blossomed into the current brick-and-mortar storefront in Old Town Eureka. Staffed with certified herbalists that can provide both herbal novices and experts with the information and services they need to improve their health, owner Julie Caldwell is proud of the relationships her business continues to build with its customers.

“We’re the first stop for many, especially for preventative remedies, which is where herbs really shine,” Caldwell said. “You don’t have to know anything about plants when you walk in. We’re a full service herbal apothecary store.”

Humboldt Herbals (http://www.humboldtherbals.com/) stocks a wide variety of organic Western herbs and some traditional Chinese herbs that can help prevent illness as well as treating symptoms of a current affliction. Caldwell said that plants are not a one-size-fits-all solution, so when listening to a customer’s needs, the first task the herbalists in her store take on is finding out what each person’s story is. She said that kind of service is what has made her shop so successful.

“We find out about their life and what works best,” Caldwell said. “We often start simple and can add to or change the remedy later.”

If someone comes in with a cold, the right herbs can help treat the symptoms, but Caldwell said that treating the cause is just as important. For example, a customer may have likely contracted that cold because he hasn’t been sleeping well and his immune system was compromised because of it. Knowing that, an herbalist can recommend a remedy for the cold symptoms, as well as something to help him sleep, strengthen the immune system and prevent future colds.

“No matter what’s going on with someone's physical health, there’s usually a plant that can help,” Caldwell said.

Finding the right type of herbal remedy is also important. Not all customers drink tea or will do so on a regular enough basis, so Humboldt Herbals can also provide herbal pills or tinctures. Aromatherapy is another option the store provides, which can be especially helpful if a customer
is currently taking several chemical medications.

When Humboldt Herbals first opened a storefront in Old Town Eureka in 2000, it was upstairs in Imperial Square. The location wasn’t too easy to find and was bursting at the seams to serve all of its customers. In 2009, the business was able to move into its current location on the corner of Second and D streets on the ground floor -- being much more accessible, sales immediately tripled and have continued to grow steadily since, Caldwell said.

Certified herbalist Marea Zendran began working at Humboldt Herbals in June, and she is enthusiastic about the prospects of the business.

“I love the plants; I love the customers,” Zendran said. “I’m really excited to be a part of such a thriving business. There’s so much healing that happens here every day.”