Hume’s, Burbank Sportsmen’s Landmark, to Become Offices

It will still look like a mountain hunting lodge from the outside, but inside it will be completely different.

“It” is Hume’s Sporting Goods Co., which has been a Burbank landmark for outdoorsmen since shortly after World War II at 140 N. Victory Blvd.

Mrs. Dabny Hume, widow of the founder, Alex R. Hume, has sold the property to 140 Victory Boulevard Associates, whose general partners are Thomas M. Tunnicliffe and Gerald Hungerford.

According to Thomas Realty Co. Inc., which represened both parties in the sale, Tunnicliffe and his associates plan to convert the two existing buildings on the site to 10 office suites and have proposed construction of a three-story, 24,000-square-foot office building there too.

Hume’s original building, fronting on Victory Boulevard, will be modified to include a central atrium and skylight and both existing buildings will have anodized windows and shake roofs. Most office suites will have wet bars and private rest rooms.

The conversion to a 36,00-square-foot office park is expected to cost about $5 million. Architect of the conversion is Rinaldi & Associates AIA of Westlake Village and the general contractor will be Michael Maginn Construction Co. of Burbank.

Alex G. Hume, nephew of the founder and general manager of Hume’s Sporting Goods, closed the store Oct. 31. That portion of the business relating to studio rentals, camping rentals and the sale of tents and camping equipment has been moved to 1527 W. Magnolia Blvd.

The late Alex R. Hume bought the property in 1945, and it took him 2 1/2 years to construct the building. “Since it was right after the war, materials were almost impossible to get,” said Dagny Hume.

He started out selling war surplus and renting grip equipment to movie studios (he had worked in the movie industry for 20 years) and the surplus part of the business gradually gave way to sporting goods. He died in 1982.