About Us

What began as a childhood obsession with Astoria's most loveable robot, has now turned into a dream too great to disassemble.
When owner Richard Bates first saw 'Short Circuit' as a child, he recalls exclaiming, "Mom! I like that house!" to his parents. As he got older, his love of toys and pop culture grew. He has spent 20+ years amassing a collection of action figures and memorabilia.
Naturally, when 197 Hume went up for sale in 2019, there was only one option: buy it.
3 years later, a vision has become a reality. We are so excited to share this unique piece of Astoria and Hollywood history with the world!

Before Number 5, our home was historically significant for other reasons.
Martin Johnson (1848-1941) and his wife, Anna (1852-1938) were Finnish immigrants who lived in Astoria and worked in the Union Cannery. When the cannery needed housing for its employees, plots of nearby land were purchased, and homes were built in what we now know as the historic Uniontown-Alameda district. Martin Johnson not only built our home in 1882 but was one of the founding fathers of Uniontown.

Martin and Anna Johnson went on to raise 5 children here. Arthur (1884-1954); Marshal (1887-1958); Einard (1888-1954); Julia (photographed above with her father, Martin; 1891-1948); and Helia (1893-1948).
Martin, Anna, and Arthur are buried in Lewis and Clark Cemetery in nearby Miles Crossing. Marshal, Einard, Julia, and Helia are buried in Ocean View cemetery in Warrenton, Oregon.