Pop-up LEGO Stores to be trialled in the USA

The LEGO Group is introducing a number of temporary Brand Stores to the USA as part of a trial run.

It seems that the LEGO Group is determined to sell more products to the consumer directly, as the company tests pop-up LEGO Stores in the USA. The hope is to spread the concept further after this year’s holiday season test run.

The LEGO Group has shared images suggesting what the stores will look like. It will be quite different to the retail locations that fans are used to, with half of the stores sorting products by target age, and the other half sorting products by price. It is a novel approach, one that is not commonly used at retail, so its success or otherwise will be interesting to follow.

As with other LEGO Stores, the temporary outlets will include a play area, interactive play tables and displays. The announcement shared with LEGO Ambassadors promises that each store will be “100% unique” – “[some] stores will be carpeted while others tiled and some will have multiple LEGO statues and some just one”. Whether that is a virtue or not will be up to the consumer to decide.

Other differences to regular LEGO Stores include no Pick-a-Brick wall, no build a minifigure opportunity and no monthly mini-builds. VIP points will be available and prices will match regular LEGO Stores, although not every gift with purchase opportunity will necessarily make it to the pop-up locations.

Here are the locations at which fans can find the stores, along with the opening dates:

• The Shoppes at Buckland Hills (194 Buckland Hills Drive Manchester, CT) – September 28, 2018 (already open, but softly)
• Mall at Columbia (10300 Little Patuxent Pkwy. Columbia, MD) – October 5, 2018
• Woodbridge Center (250 Woodbridge Center Drive Woodbridge, NJ) – October 5, 2018
• Smith Haven Mall (313 Smith Haven Mall Lake Grove, NY) – October 5, 2018
• Perimeter Mall (4400 Ashford Dunwoody Road Atlanta, GA) – October 5, 2018
• Galleria at Tyler (1299 Tyler Street Riverside, CA) – October 5, 2018

To allow visitors to know how long the store will be there for, there will be a countdown calendar revealing how many days remain before it will close.

This statement has been provided to explain the why the stores are being trialled:

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.

Apparently the scheme has come together “very quick” [sic] and will provide a “conversation starter” to see if there is a business case for increasing the concept of temporary LEGO Stores in “significantly more markets”. The LEGO Retail team is keen to have feedback from those who visit the stores.