Rick Littlefield and Growing Eureka Natural Foods
Above, left to right: Steve Pitzer, Amelia Pitzer, Chris Pitzer, Suzanne Littlefield, Betty Littlefield, Rick Littlefield, Craig Calvin, Keith Wescott and Heidi Boesch of Eureka Natural Foods. Photos by Melissa Sanderson.
Humboldt hooked Rick Littlefield in 1975 when he drove through the big trees with his brother and a friend. They were passing through on the way to Canada and he had no thoughts of settling down, only a week of fun exploring the area. Three months later, Littlefield came back to enroll in then Humboldt State University, where he met his wife Betty at a student party. Betty’s family had set down roots when she was in middle school, smitten with Humboldt’s charms as Rick has been before he was smitten with Betty’s.
The Littlefields put their social sciences education to good use working in nonprofits and government for 10 years, Rick as a social worker and Betty as a family counselor. While raising their family Betty grew organic vegetables and other goodies in their sustainable garden. They lived near Eureka Health Foods, an old-school 1960s health food store that was the local hub of a national movement towards better living. The store began serving Humboldt’s health conscious residents in 1944 as Paulson’s House of Better Living, which was even more old-school (vitamins and supplements but no barrels of gently aging apples). When a neighbor told them the store was for sale, they were inspired to create Eureka Natural Foods as an outgrowth of their personal philosophy of healthy living through natural, organic food.
Rick Littlefield with Annette, Eureka Natural Foods’ Global Goods Buyer.
Rick and Betty opened the doors as new owners in 1985 with their teenaged daughter Suzanne and two inherited part-time employees. The Littlefields wanted to inspire more people to eat better, taking the health food market beyond the traditional fares of brewer’s yeast and yogurt that used to freak out your grandparents. They catered to customers who suffered from food allergies, stocking items like hard-to-get wheat-free bread — so hard to get it was delivered frozen.
A name change from Eureka Health Foods to Eureka Natural Foods came between a few changes in location. The business moved to Fourth and D streets, leaving its original 1,500 square feet store with narrow aisles, tall shelving and heavy pharmacy overtones (picture an entire wall of vitamins). Floor space doubled in size, with enough to keep the Littlefields content until 1995 and another expansion.
An unexpected opportunity for growth came in 1986 with the closure of the only health food store in Crescent City. The distraught people of Del Norte County asked the Littlefields to rescue them. How could they say no to popular demand? They opened their northern location which, after a few moves of its own, became Wild Rivers Market (450 M St., Crescent City) in 2013.
Suzanne Littlefield feels the wellness.
Just as others in the industry were doing, Rick and Betty combined the health and natural aspects of the business. “We were doing strategic planning, as most companies do. We start with us as individuals. We want each of us to be secure and positive in how we approach the world. Then to family, strengths, innovation, gratitude. Then employees. The concentric circles then radiate out to customers, vendors and the world. We want to bring that kind of energy to the world, starting with us individually and working out in the concentric rings. Sustainability, kindness, mindfulness, being a positive force in the world.” Rick’s tone conveyed his sincere desire to create more than just a business.
Their construction philosophy was a direct outgrowth of integrating their personal and business philosophies. The company hired a Portland firm to design concepts and colors that are still repeated throughout their stores. When Eureka Natural Foods opened its 25,000-square-foot flagship store (3990 Broadway, Eureka) in 2005, it embodied the Littlefields’ Earth-friendly values. Take a moment and look at the building the next time you are there. Start outside with the tiles created by local artist and sculptor Gilbert Castro — his delightful work also adorns the McKinleyville store (2165 Central Avenue). Inside, a resplendent stained glass Earth bathes customers and staff alike in its filtered light. After that, the aromas take over. Can you smell that gluten-free pie baking? Enticements that please all diets await.
Eureka Natural Foods is truly a family business with sons Chris (operations vice president) and Steve (executive vice president) Pitzer, and daughter Suzanne (wellness manager) all pitching in. Their dedication provides you with fresh caught seafood, local meats and vegetables, and spices from around the world that somehow manage to make it to hard-to-reach Humboldt. Looking for a new love? Be seduced by a dalliance in the bulk spices aisle. Divine vindaloo or smoked Hungarian paprika? Here there are no jealousies, so why not dance with both?
Rick with Bill, a longtime friend and loyal ENF customer.
Rick and Betty not only feed Humboldt, they and Eureka Natural Foods support community causes like the We Are Up residential program for developmentally disabled. Their stores participate in Change for Change fundraising, supporting 15 campaigns per year that provide needed services like breast health and food programs. The Littlefields support quality of life programs, too, through Humboldt Bay Trails and community forests, and the Life Plan Humboldt Initiative to create a senior living facility. Rick loves to provide what they can, whether it is giving food for gatherings or prizes for raffles. “The more you give, the more people ask. We try to satisfy them all!” Rick said.
Although Eureka Natural Foods is a dyed-in-the-organic-wool family business, when Rick retired as general manager, they promoted from within, tapping long time employee Craig Calvin to fill his shoes. “Craig already had the right type of energy,” Rick said. “He has been with us for 15 years, working his way up from stock clerk to lead buyer.” Calvin opened the McKinleyville store in 2016, so he knows the business from the grounds up, including whole bean fair trade coffees. Rick is still board chairman but says, “Calvin is leading the future of Eureka Natural Foods.”
Eureka Produce Manager Paul Aragon and McKinleyville Store Manager Heidi Boesch with Rick.
As Rick steps back, he speaks fondly of what made him love his business. “I got lots of satisfaction being on the floor seeing people I know or worked with. To spend time with employees, getting to know them, and hearing what thoughts they have.” There are those concentric circles in play.
Rick is grateful for what he found here, happy to finish the sentence starting with, “My Humboldt life is.” “It is and has been wonderful! From the opportunities for personal growth, for the challenges of entrepreneurship. From the love in our community of the arts, sustainable living and kindness to others. And including our families’ ability to grow and be sustainable here in our own community has been nothing short of wonderful!” His enthusiasm is a joy to hear.
You know what else is? That vindaloo bubbling in the pot.
Eureka Natural Foods
1450 Broadway, Eureka
(707) 442-6325
2165 Central Ave.,
McKinleyville
(707) 839-3636
eurekanaturalfoods.com
Facebook: eurekanaturalfoods
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