Since the mill shut down five years ago, its rusting metal buildings have attracted transients and trespassers.
He swept his arm to the left, toward the acres of empty asphalt that once served as the mill’s log deck.
And while the company has yet to apply for licenses from the County of Humboldt or the state, Marshall said a master plan is imminent, and they’re committed to being in Humboldt County.
“Our goal was always to come in here and say, ‘You know what? Let’s come in here and let’s assimilate in the community and figure out what we do the asset that we have,” he said.
Marshall said that thanks to the monitoring required of Sierra Pacific, there’s no need to worry.
The property’s current owner, Jeff Meyer, told the Outpost that he sought out investors and he believes the Victorum crew is “a good group of guys” who want to give back to the community while bringing in a couple hundred jobs.
As an example, he walked over to where the bridge crosses the slough and said the company would like to build a boat ramp and offer access to local kayakers.
“If nothing else, I want you to portray us as: We are local and we’re here.
Marshall owned a Smashburger franchise in the Atlanta, Georgia, area before moving into consulting and consumer research while Crawford managed a Spirit Halloween store in Tucson, Ariz., among other jobs, before coming to Victorum.
And of course you kind of laugh because you’re like, ‘Well, it’s only been legal for five.’ … we’ve got generational farm kids that grew up with growers from Southern Humboldt.
The company plans to employ local cultivators, though Marshall said the project is not far enough along to connect the Outpost with any of them for interviews.
”And we’re going to employ people in the community; we’re going to give back to the community,” Marshall said.