The November grand opening of the new Poletski’s Appliance Center in Eureka’s Henderson Center was celebrated not only with the business tradition of a ribbon cutting, but also a family tradition: posing the newest family addition in a washing machine (but not to wash, of course). The cutest baby with a pink bow peeked out from a front-load washer to have her photo taken. She also had her photo taken in a spindle model, too, just like her mom and uncles did before her. Rick Poletski is one proud business owner and grandpa.
In 1982, when Al and Donna opened Poletski’s Appliance Repair, they concentrated on servicing appliances. Rick grew up cleaning washers and dryers, and mopping floors as he absorbed the family business. He graduated from Eureka High School in 1988, and then joined the Marine Corps. After serving in Desert Storm, Rick returned to Humboldt. By 1992 he was up to his elbows in stoves and refrigerators.
The Poletskis moved the business to 341 W Harris St. in Eureka and expanded into retail. Always with an eye to keeping their customers happy, the business offered scratch and dent discounts, as well as used appliances. By 2008, Rick bought out his parents and settled into running the store with his wife, Dama. He proudly declares her “the hardest worker in the company, for sure!” He lists her impressive array of skills, including bookkeeping and logistics. Dama attended Arcata High School and met Rick after they’d graduated, when mutual friends set them up. “We had our first date at Mazzotti’s Italian Restaurant. She came through the doors like a breath of fresh air,” says Rick.
Although the Poletski children started out inside a washer, their paths took them elsewhere. The proud father says, “Jacob will be 19 and is training to be a pipeline welder,” adding 21-year-old Tyler is studying to be a physical therapist and 30-year-old daughter Maddison is an accountant.
Poletski bought Fortuna Eel River Appliance in 2010, moving it two doors down to its current corner location at 1001 Main St. “The farmers market is on the side street every week during the season,” he says. He enjoys being part of community life, which inspired him to purchase the empty JoAnn’s Fabrics building in Eureka, a stone’s throw from the local farmers market. “We joined the Henderson Center community.”
The new showroom makes it easy to see how an appliance can also be a design detail. “Our customers deserve a quality experience. We remodeled the old store for more than just the normal. [It’s] a place that looks good, like the interior of a stylish apartment,” Rick says. He is also excited about advances in technology. But he doesn’t wax poetic about Bluetooth capability or apps that allow you to tweak your freezer’s temperature from the other side of the world. Instead, he focuses on energy and water savings, like in laundry. “In cooking, induction magnetic heat is fast and efficient.” He adds, “Digital price tags mean that our prices can automatically change to give the best price to our customers.”
Relocating a few blocks west was well worth the substantial effort to move all those appliances. (Think of it like helping that friend move his refrigerator, only to find out he has a whole collection of them.) “The foot and traffic counts are better. And we have a better parking lot. We are already seeing an improvement in business,” says Rick. It doesn’t hurt that Poletski’s Appliance Center is now across the street from the temptations of Fresh Freeze. “We might have to walk around the block a few times after one of their malts.”
Some residents are just noticing the move. Rick says, “Most people in Eureka refer to it as the JoAnns Fabric building. We still do when directing customers to our new location. We hope in time it becomes the Poletski Appliance building.” That should not take long, as he says the exterior glow-up has already made a difference. “We get so many comments on the exterior paint.”
The Poletskis’ love of sports led them to sponsor local golf tournaments. Poletski’s Appliance Center gives more than cheers to Cal Poly Tech’s Lumberjacks, too. But the community support that made Rick smile is the art that adorns the Henderson Center store’s windows. “It’s Grant Elementary School … student artwork,” he says, a public exhibit for the smallest of artists.
When Rick finished the sentence “My Humboldt Life is,” his love of this unique place came shining through. “Outside recreation with the beauty of the redwoods, close proximity to the Pacific Ocean and a hometown feel.” He values the opportunities, too. “Eureka is so different from a large metropolitan area,” he says. “I have ability to interact with my customers in the community because I see them everywhere, in restaurants and stores. I run into them a lot.” Not surprising when you realize that Rick and his family have served Humboldt for more than 40 years. He means it when he says, “Come in and see the work we did!”
Poletski’s Appliance Center
510 W. Harris St., Eureka
(707) 445-3138
poletskis.com
@ PoletskisAppliances
Eel Valley Appliance
1001 Main St., Fortuna
(707) 725-6734
eelvalleyappliance.com
@ eelvalleyappliance
This article appears in My Humboldt Life December 2025.