History

The Pacific Flavors Kitchen Store and Cooking School is located in one of the historic commercial buildings of Old Town Eureka, just blocks from the waterfront. The location, built in the 19th Century, was known for many years as the Oberon Saloon. Once high-end bar for upper class patrons, only the antique chandelier is left as a reminder of the location's colorful past.

The Oberon Saloon was located in the original "Skid Row". By the 1900s, the expression /skid row/ (originally a logging term) was used to refer to the part of town filled with bars and brothels and patronized by the local loggers. The Oberon Saloon experienced its 15 minutes of fame one night, in the spring 1910, when author Jack London paid a visit. Legend has it that London was traveling up the Redwood Coast to research characters for his latest novel when he stopped in at the Oberon, a local hot-spot, for a drink. Before long, a heated political debate erupted between London, a staunch Socialist, and Stanwood Murphy, a local Conservative Republican. The debate soon turned into a fist-fight, and they say that London never showed his face in town again. Although there are no formal accounts of the confrontation, eyewitnesses confirm the event.

During the 1950s and 1960s, the historic buildings of Old Town were beginning to show their age. Fortunately, the plan to raze the historic downtown and build an elevated freeway gave way to a more community-oriented restoration of the area's historic waterfront. With the help of federal loans, the historic structures were renovated in order to help preserve historic Eureka and revitalize the economy.

In 1994, Pacific Flavors opened its doors, first as a culinary supply store. The Cooking School made its debut in 1997 and was received with much enthusiasm. Food lovers travel from all over northern California to attend classes, with over 3000 studen ts on the mailing list.

Nowadays, Old Town Eureka is bustling with boutiques and specialty stores, restaurants and coffee shops. Pacific Flavors is proud to share Second Street with the many other local businesses that make Old Town both a cultural center and an historical tourist attraction.