It’s no secret that the retail landscape has vastly changed in 2018, numerous retailers have disappeared or scaled back their offerings. This has in turn impacted the LEGO Group and where you can find their products. One of the biggest losses is Toys R Us, which no longer exists here in the UK or over in the US. So this Christmas LEGO® are testing a new retail concept, pop-up stores. These temporary stores will appear in various US locations and open up in disused units. As well as offering the same sort of products has LEGO Brand Stores, these LEGO Pop-up Workshops, will also offer build areas. The test is currently only focused in the US. But could lead to the same concept being rolled out in other markets. Whilst it’s a great idea, I’m sure many LEGO fans would also like to see more permanent LEGO stores opening in more locations. They don’t need to be like Starbucks and have masses of stores in the same locations but using my hometown of Leicester, the nearest LEGO store is well over an hour away, which is shocking considering Leicester is a pretty big city and quite central. Learn more about the LEGO Pop-up Workshops below.
Starting today the LEGO Group will be testing a new shopping experience for our consumers by bringing temporary LEGO Brand stores to additional markets. While this initiative is being tested in just six US markets this year, the LEGO Retail team is very excited to see if this business model can grow to support additional markets in following years.
LEGO Retail has shared some preliminary design images for these six stores as well as insights on the two new concepts they will be testing. The stores will not be set up in the same manner as any of the existing LEGO Brand stores. Half of the stores will have their products sorted by age and the other half will sort their products by price. This will allow our insights team to test concepts that have been shared in focus groups to determine best practices.
Each Pop-Up store will feature a play area, interactive play stations, and displays. The stores with products separated by age will feature four key sections 1+, 5+, 7+ and 10+ while the stores separating products by price have sections for Under $20, Under $30, Under $50, Under $100 and Big Builds.
Every Pop-Up store will also be 100% unique is shape as these stores are each filling a empty store within a mall and have not been restructured. Among the changes are that stores will be carpeted while others tiled and some will have multiple LEGO statues and some just one.
A few noteworthy items are how detailed the LEGO Retail designers are in making these Pop-Up stores an experience rather than a store. For those kids with a eye for detail, they will notice the trademark red 2×4 LEGO brick dropped in cracking the floor, just like the store dropped into their mall. They will also see a countdown calendar till the store disappears.
What’s the difference between a Pop-Up store and a typical LEGO Brand store?
- Yes, you will be able to earn and redeem LEGO VIP points at Pop-Up stores.
- There is not a Pick-a-Brick wall or Build-a-Mini station.
- There are no LEGO Brand store Passport stamps available at Pop-Up stores.
- There will not be monthly minibuild activities or other in store events.
- The product prices will be the same at LEGO Brand and Pop-Up stores including any sales.
- Pop-Up stores will try to offer the same gift with purchase promotions.
- Pop-Up stores will have new employees but also at least one experienced employee from a local LEGO Brand store.
Why is there a new for Pop-Up stores?
While many LEGO fans live near a LEGO store there are more kids in the world that have never even seen a LEGO branded store or had the chance to experience the joy that comes from stepping inside. Some kids received a portion of this joy from visiting their local Toys R Us and without that option any longer this will allow more kids, and adults, the opportunity to get the true LEGO experience. While many families will be surprised to be walking through the mall and all of sudden see a LEGO store a few kids close to these six locations could even be getting their first piece of LEGO mail inviting them to come visit.
What does the future hold for Pop-Up stores?
There are some malls and markets that are unlikely to get a LEGO Brand retail store due to size of market and other factors. If this pilot program is successful our LEGO Retail team will have options. These six Pop-Up stores are located in areas with existing LEGO Brand stores in order to leverage experienced personnel and distribution routes. This initiative has happened very quick and with the learnings gathered this holiday season their can be a case made to have increased Pop-Up stores in significantly more markets. It is unlikely to be on the scale of such stores as Halloween Spirit, but this will provide a conversation starter.
Official Opening Dates:
September 28, 2018:
The Shoppes at Buckland Hills – 194 Buckland Hills Drive Manchester, CT (soft opening today)
October 5, 2018:
Mall at Columbia – 10300 Little Patuxent Pkwy. Columbia, MD
Woodbridge Center – 250 Woodbridge Center Drive Woodbridge, NJ
Smith Haven Mall – 313 Smith Haven Mall Lake Grove, NY
Perimeter Mall – 4400 Ashford Dunwoody Road Atlanta, GA
Galleria at Tyler – 1299 Tyler Street Riverside, CA
