Lego Store
File:LEGOStoreFairviewMall10.JPG
A Lego Store, sometimes referred to as a Lego Imagination Center, is a retail store operated by The Lego Group that specializes in selling only Lego products, similar to Apple Stores or Disney Stores. Many of these stores have opened across North America and Europe.
The first Lego store to open anywhere in the world was in Sydney, Australia, in 1984. Located in the Birkenhead Point Outlet Centre it was not only the first dedicated Lego retail outlet, but it also had displays including many iconic Australian items such as the Holden FJ, Sydney Harbour Bridge, and the Sydney Opera House as well as buildings from Amsterdam, dinosaurs and an English Village. Known as The LEGO Centre, Birkenhead Point, the store closed in the early 1990s.{{cite web |url=https://www.toltoys.com/2011/05/the-first-lego-store-birkenhead-point-sydney-lego-centre/ |title=The First LEGO Store: Birkenhead Point Sydney LEGO Centre |website=Toltoys Kid |location=Australia |date=30 May 2011 |access-date=16 October 2021 |archive-date=17 September 2021 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210917042056/https://www.toltoys.com/2011/05/the-first-lego-store-birkenhead-point-sydney-lego-centre/ |url-status=live}}
{{As of|March 2024}}, Lego operates 1031 retail shops, called Lego Stores, globally in 2024 (from 664 in 2022).{{Cite web|url=http://stores.lego.com/en-us/stores |title=LEGO.com: LEGO Stores Home – All Stores |website=Stores.lego.com |accessdate=March 28, 2018|lang=en}}{{cite web |last1=Bricksprice |date=14 March 2024 |title=LEGO's Thriving Growth in 2023 |url=https://bricksprice.com/legos-thriving-growth-in-2023-surpassing-market-challenges-and-embracing-a-sustainable-future/ |access-date=14 March 2024 |website=BricksPrice |publisher=bricksprice.com}}
Many stores have been built in large shopping malls like Mall of America and Euralille. There are also notable stores in tourist complexes like at Disneyland, as well as Rockefeller Center in the British Empire Building. The world's largest Lego store is located in Leicester Square, London.{{cite news |title=Flagship Store London Leicester Square |url=https://www.lego.com/en-gb/service/help/lego_stores/lego_stores/flagship-store-london-leicester-square-kA009000001dcDjCAI?locale=en-gb&consent-modal=show&age-gate=grown_up |access-date=16 October 2023 |publisher=Lego.com}} The opening of each new store is celebrated with a weekend-long event in which a Master Model Builder creates, with the help of volunteers—a larger-than-life Lego statue, which is then displayed at the new store for several weeks.{{cite web |title=Lego Store Grand Openings |url=http://accesswinnipeg.com/2015/07/lego-store-grand-opening-celebration-help-build-an-8-foot-tall-yoda-model-on-july-24/ |website=Access Winnipeg |date=21 July 2015 |access-date=25 August 2015 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150724091408/http://accesswinnipeg.com/2015/07/lego-store-grand-opening-celebration-help-build-an-8-foot-tall-yoda-model-on-july-24/ |archive-date=24 July 2015}}
There are other stores that are not directly owned by Lego, such as the certified store in the Philippines. Stores in China are not listed on Lego's official website.
Concept
File:Lego Pick a Brick Wall - Arden Fair Mall - Sacramento, California, USA.jpg
The stores feature sections dedicated to various Lego product lines.
Each store also includes:
- a wall of bricks sorted by color and shape, known as the Pick a Brick wall;
- figurine assembly towers (similar to Mr. Potato Head);
- interactive play areas where customers can play with bricks;
- Lego models often themed to the location.
History
Image:LegoAtMOA.jpg in 2006.]]
In 1992, the first Lego Store opened at Mall of America, the largest shopping mall in the United States, located in Bloomington, Minnesota{{Cite web|lang=en |url=http://articles.chicagotribune.com/1992-09-02/business/9203200114_1_lego-systems-lego-store-lego-factory |title=Lego Brings Imagination To Megamall |author=Eileen Ogintz |date=September 2, 1992 |website=Chicago Tribune |accessdate=April 6, 2016 }}{{Cite web|lang=en |url=http://www.kidscape.com/articles/lego.html |title=LEGO Lands at Walt Disney World |website=kidscape.com |accessdate=April 6, 2016 }}. The second American store opened in October 1997 at Downtown Disney Florida at the Walt Disney World Resort in Florida. This store was renovated and expanded in 2011 to a size of {{convert|409|m2}}. The Downtown Disney area was renamed Disney Springs in 2015.
In January 2001, Lego opened another store called Lego Imagination Center in the Downtown Disney California complex, located between the two theme parks at the Disneyland Resort in California{{Cite web|lang=en |url=http://www.ocregister.com/articles/store-354548-lego-santoro.html |title=Lego store reopens at Downtown Disney |author=Lisa Liddane |date=May 16, 2012 |website=Orange County Register |accessdate=April 6, 2016 }}.
Numerous stores opened across the United States starting in 2008. On {{date|June 25, 2010}}, Lego opened a store at Rockefeller Center in the British Empire Building{{Cite web|lang=en |url=http://nextkidthing.com/?p=3842 |title=Lego Debuts New Store in Rockefeller Center |author=Jen Rabulan-Bertram |date=June 25, 2010 |website=nextkidthing.com |accessdate=April 6, 2016 }}. The first Canadian store opened on {{date|July 4, 2010}} at Chinook Centre in Calgary{{Cite web|lang=en |url=https://calgaryherald.com/business/Lego+enter+Canadian+market+Chinook+Centre/3075178/story.html |title=First Lego store in Canada to open in Chinook mall in Calgary in July |author=Mario Toneguzzi |date=July 4, 2010 |website=The Calgary Herald |accessdate=May 3, 2017 }}.
In May 2012, the Downtown Disney California store reopened after several weeks of renovation. In December 2012, Lego signed a 10-year lease for a commercial space of {{convert|7703|sqft|m2|0}} at 200 Fifth Avenue in the Flatiron District for a planned opening in September 2014{{Cite web|lang=en |url=https://commercialobserver.com/2012/12/lego-signs-lease-for-flagship-at-200-fifth-avenue-store-will-cozy-up-to-eataly/ |title=Lego Signs Lease For Flagship At 200 Fifth Avenue, Store Will Cozy Up To Eataly |accessdate=April 6, 2016 }}{{Cite web|lang=en |url=http://www.timeout.com/new-york-kids/things-to-do/the-lego-flagship-store-is-now-open-in-the-flatiron-district |title=The LEGO flagship store is now open in the Flatiron District |author=Hannah Doolin |date=September 26, 2014 |website=timeout.com |accessdate=April 6, 2016 }}.
The first Lego Store in France opened on {{date|October 17, 2012}} in Levallois-Perret, in the So Ouest shopping mall{{Cite web |url=https://www.20minutes.fr/economie/1024492-20121017-pourquoi-lego-lance-propres-boutiques-france |title=Pourquoi Lego lance ses propres boutiques en France |author=Céline Boff |date=October 17, 2012 |website=20 minutes |accessdate=April 6, 2016 }}. A second opened shortly after in Euralille in December{{Cite web |url=http://www.lavoixdunord.fr/region/le-second-lego-store-de-france-a-euralille-le-grand-jna19b0n883659 |title=Le second Lego store de France à Euralille : le grand bonheur des fans de petites briques |author=Pauline Drouet |date=December 9, 2012 |website=La Voix du Nord |accessdate=April 6, 2016 }}. A third opened in November 2013 in the Centre Jaude 2 shopping mall in Clermont-Ferrand{{Cite web |url=http://www.lamontagne.fr/auvergne/actualite/departement/puy-de-dome/clermont-ferrand/2013/11/20/pourquoi-legostore-a-choisi-clermont-ferrand_1770775.html |title=Pourquoi Lego®Store a choisi Clermont-Ferrand |author=Catherine Jutier |date=November 20, 2013 |website=La Montagne |accessdate=April 6, 2016}}.
On {{date|February 28, 2014}}, a Lego Store opened at Disney Village in Marne-la-Vallée{{Cite web|lang=fr|url=http://www.larepublique77.fr/2014/03/05/lego-store-sinstalle-a-disney-village/ |title=Lego Store s'installe à Disney Village |date=February 28, 2014 |website=La République de Seine et Marne}}. The first Quebec Lego Store opened on {{date|April 7, 2014}} at Carrefour Laval shopping center{{Cite web |url=http://fr.canoe.ca/hommes/enginsetgadgets/archives/2014/04/20140407-172227.html |title=Le Carrefour Laval accueille le premier magasin Lego |author=Christopher Nardi |date=April 7, 2014 |website=Canoe.ca |accessdate=April 6, 2016 }}.
On {{date|April 6, 2015}}, one year after opening its largest store in the world at Shanghai Joy City (in 2014), Lego announced the opening of its twentieth store at Shanghai New World City on {{date|May 31, 2015}}, with plans to have 80 stores{{Cite web|lang=en |url=http://www.tjpa-china.org/html/News/122001001/2529.html |title=LEGO opened a new store in New World City, Shanghai, China, on May 31 |author=China Toy & Juvenile Products Association |date=April 6, 2015 |website=tjpa-china.org |accessdate=April 6, 2016 }}. On {{date|May 12, 2015}}, the first certified Lego store opened in the Philippines in Bonifacio Global City through a partnership with a local company founded in 2006, which is the exclusive distributor of Lego in the country{{Cite web|lang=en |url=http://www.rappler.com/entertainment/news/92693-photos-first-lego-certified-store-philippines |title=Sneak peek at the first LEGO certified store in PH |date=May 10, 2015 |website=rappler.com |accessdate=April 6, 2016 }}{{Cite web|lang=en |url=http://www.mb.com.ph/photos-first-lego-certified-store-in-ph-opens/ |title=First LEGO-certified store in PH opens |date=May 12, 2015 |website=Manila Bulletin |accessdate=April 6, 2016 }}. On {{date|September 25, 2015}}, a store opened in Bordeaux at the Promenade Sainte-Catherine shopping area{{Cite web |url=https://www.20minutes.fr/bordeaux/1683691-20150910-bordeaux-lego-store-promenade-sainte-catherine-ouvre-25-septembre |title=Bordeaux: Le LEGO store de la promenade Sainte-Catherine ouvre le 25 septembre |date=September 10, 2015 |website=20 minutes |accessdate=April 6, 2016 }}.
On {{date|April 5, 2016}}, a Lego Store opened in the newly renovated area under the canopy of Forum des Halles in Paris{{Cite web|url=http://www.lefigaro.fr/societes/2016/04/05/20005-20160405ARTFIG00286-lego-s-installe-au-forum-des-halles-a-paris.php |title=Lego s'installe au Forum des Halles à Paris |author=Keren Lentschner |date=April 5, 2016 |website=Le Figaro |accessdate=April 6, 2016 }}. On {{date|November 17, 2016}}, the largest Lego Store in the world opened on Leicester Square in London, with a size of {{convert|9800|sqft|m2|0}}{{Cite web|lang=en |url=http://www.huffingtonpost.co.uk/entry/worlds-largest-lego-store-opens-in-londons-leicester-square_uk_582ee9bce4b09025ba32084e |title=World’s Largest LEGO Store Opens In London’s Leicester Square |author=Thomas Tamblyn |date=November 17, 2016 |website=Huffington Post |accessdate=November 20, 2016 }}{{Cite web |url=https://www.ouest-france.fr/leditiondusoir/data/874/reader/reader.html?t=1479492485139 |title=Entrez dans le plus grand magasin Lego du monde |author=Édouard Lamort |date=November 19, 2016 |website=Ouest-France |accessdate=November 20, 2016 }}.