Click video to play. Problems on iPhone? Turn your phone sideways.

Humboldt is full of history, culture, art and all sorts of local products, and it has vast beautiful landscapes to explore. But if you’re a visitor, how do you find out about all this?

Well, a few enthusiastic entrepreneurs with a big vision are aiming to transform a space into the epicenter of all things Humboldt. And they might have picked the perfect spot — the historic Loheide Building in Eureka, which has been fully renovated and restored after sitting vacant for years.

CEO Roy Gomez and his two business partners, Victor Hernandez and Jeff Yellon, have decided to call the cultural visitors center “Forever Found” as a play on the phrase “Eureka … I Found it!!.” And it will focus on representing every major economy that’s helped shape Eureka and Humboldt County.

“We have a broad perspective of our community from the historical aspects of the Native American tribes, the timber industry, the fishing industry, all of these economies including the cannabis industry which is our emerging industry at the moment,” said Gomez. “So I think to pay homage to the historical aspects and economies of our area and to learn from that.”

In this LoCO Video Report we find out more about the Loheide Building and how it went from a state of disrepair to where it is now. We take a complete walk-through, and see digital designs to fully understand the concept of Forever Found.

The team plans to have historical photographs, archives and information on display throughout the establishment. Plus: Big screen TVs everywhere with headphones so visitors can take virtual tours, learn historical facts and experience a visual-audio narrative directing them to all the must-see spots. 

And that’s not all — the center will also be split up into five zones, all focused on local aspects and each with its own staff member. The zones will include a reception desk, information and booking, a beer and wine bar, an art gallery a gift shop, and a coffee, kombucha and soup/salad bar. So it will not only point visitors in the right direction, but first provide them with a unique modern experience to learn and get excited about what the region has to offer.

“We want to be set apart from an old-school type of visitors center, which is kind of static. We want to be more dynamic,” said marketing director Victor Hernandez.

The upstairs area will be separate and will be focused on the cannabis industry, with hopes of eventually adding a dispensary.

“I think it’s important to know why Humboldt is considered a cannabis region and the back to the land movement and progression to where we’re at now, to tell that story,” said Gomez.

The center will primarily operate off of revenue made by offering local businesses tailored underwriting and sponsorship packages that will aim at marketing and directing visitors to their establishment. Plus they’ll release a free publication every three months to help promote businesses and places of interest.

“We’re hoping that the community can really rally behind something like this to make Humboldt and Eureka a more contemporary place,” said Hernandez.

If all goes as planned, Forever Found will be opening in January 2018.