Upscale Bullock’s to Join Burbank’s Downtown Mall

Burbank city officials announced Tuesday night there will be a Bullock’s in the $250-million shopping mall and office complex under construction downtown, putting to rest skepticism about the mall’s ability to attract an upscale department store.

Mayor Robert R. Bowne was joined by Alexander Haagen, developer of the Burbank Gateway Center, in making the announcement at the City Council’s regular meeting.

“This is just what the doctor ordered,” Bowne said after the announcement, which was greeted with enthusiastic applause from the audience of nearly 100 in the council chambers.

“I think this just guarantees the success of the center.”

Haagen noted in his remarks that some residents had expressed doubts about the mall’s future because of its failure, until now, to attract a high-fashion department store.

“Contrary to some popular belief, I have always shared the opinion with the City Council that Burbank is truly a first-class city and a city that a fine-fashion department store would be proud to call home,” he said.

In a statement issued Tuesday, Edward S. Finkelstein, chairman and executive officer of Bullock’s parent company, R.H. Macy & Co. of New York, said, “Burbank is a rapidly growing, thriving entertainment industry capital, and we feel there will be strong customer support for a major presence by Bullock’s in this market.”

Currently, there are two Bullock’s stores in the San Fernando Valley--in Northridge and Sherman Oaks--and one in Pasadena.

Construction on the 240,000-square-foot, three-level Bullock’s store, to be located at the west end of the mall, is not expected to begin for another six to eight months, said Fred Bruning, chief of staff for the Haagen firm. The store, which will be the largest in the mall, is scheduled to open in the fall of 1992, he said.

In addition to Bullock’s, the Gateway Center will be anchored by an Ikea furniture store and Sears and Mervyn’s department stores. Four office towers and a hotel will also be included in the development.

For months it was believed that Buffums department store would be joining the mall. But Bruning said negotiations were stalled when Buffums’ executives said that they were unhappy with the proposed location of the store, on the first floor of the mall, and would not commit to the development.