Hey all, wanted to formally introduce myself. I'm an AFOL in the DC metro area who just joined yesterday - site is great so far! I'm more of a collector than investor (none of my sets are in the box) but I appreciate the fandom that comes with tracing the popularity of certain sets as time goes by. I primarily collect the Collectible Minifigures collection (77 out of 144 owned so far), as well as a handful of Architecture sets. Other interests include music, hockey (Capitals fan, for better or worse), food, and design. I'll try not to be a stranger around here. :)

Welcome to the site...

Well to Brickpicker, glad to have you here! I'm from Northern VA, so I'm probably not too far from ya :)

Hey... guess what? I am going to DC for my 8th Grade Field Trip in about a month! I need to know all the places to look for good deals, WHP517! Welcome to BrickPicker!

Thanks everyone! Rich, I'm actually in NoVA myself... I just find it easier to say DC as to not confuse people (you may have found yourself in the same situation sometimes.) comicblast - The Lego Store at Tyson's Corner mall in McLean, VA is always a good spot, naturally. I wish I could recommend some good deal spots, but I honestly just buy my sets at places like Target and Barnes & Noble (as well as the aforementioned Lego Store.) Let me know if you run into any good locales though, I'm up for recommendations!

Thanks everyone! Rich, I'm actually in NoVA myself... I just find it easier to say DC as to not confuse people (you may have found yourself in the same situation sometimes.)

comicblast - The Lego Store at Tyson's Corner mall in McLean, VA is always a good spot, naturally. I wish I could recommend some good deal spots, but I honestly just buy my sets at places like Target and Barnes & Noble (as well as the aforementioned Lego Store.) Let me know if you run into any good locales though, I'm up for recommendations!

Only will be in town for around 5 days and I have to have a chaperone with me all the time. Unless I find a AFOL who happens to be a chaperone, then I think I won't be able to hit a Lego Store.

Hey all, wanted to formally introduce myself. I'm an AFOL in the DC metro area who just joined yesterday - site is great so far! I'm more of a collector than investor (none of my sets are in the box) but I appreciate the fandom that comes with tracing the popularity of certain sets as time goes by. I primarily collect the Collectible Minifigures collection (77 out of 144 owned so far), as well as a handful of Architecture sets. Other interests include music, hockey (Capitals fan, for better or worse), food, and design. I'll try not to be a stranger around here.

I'm more of a collector than an investor too. I just can't resist opening sets after I buy them

BTW Welcome to site!

Thanks everyone! Rich, I'm actually in NoVA myself... I just find it easier to say DC as to not confuse people (you may have found yourself in the same situation sometimes.)

comicblast - The Lego Store at Tyson's Corner mall in McLean, VA is always a good spot, naturally. I wish I could recommend some good deal spots, but I honestly just buy my sets at places like Target and Barnes & Noble (as well as the aforementioned Lego Store.) Let me know if you run into any good locales though, I'm up for recommendations!

Haha yep I say DC all the time. When I say Virginia people think I live in the middle of nowhere, like in the woods or on a mountain lol.

And yes Comicblast, the Lego store at Tyson's Corner Mall in Mclean, VA is good, and the Lego outlet store at Potomac Mills in Woodbridge, VA is great too. Potomac Mills is further from DC though.

Hey all, wanted to formally introduce myself. I'm an AFOL in the DC metro area who just joined yesterday - site is great so far! I'm more of a collector than investor (none of my sets are in the box) but I appreciate the fandom that comes with tracing the popularity of certain sets as time goes by. I primarily collect the Collectible Minifigures collection (77 out of 144 owned so far), as well as a handful of Architecture sets. Other interests include music, hockey (Capitals fan, for better or worse), food, and design. I'll try not to be a stranger around here.

Welcome.... We all have different ways of enjoying the LEGO Build/Investing world. I have found you can learn a lot from everyone here from both aspects.

I'm a collector as well! :D

Haha yep I say DC all the time. When I say Virginia people think I live in the middle of nowhere, like in the woods or on a mountain lol.

And yes Comicblast, the Lego store at Tyson's Corner Mall in Mclean, VA is good, and the Lego outlet store at Potomac Mills in Woodbridge, VA is great too. Potomac Mills is further from DC though.

Just curious, when you mention "outlet store" are the prices discounted or do they just have a good selection?

Haha yep I say DC all the time. When I say Virginia people think I live in the middle of nowhere, like in the woods or on a mountain lol.

And yes Comicblast, the Lego store at Tyson's Corner Mall in Mclean, VA is good, and the Lego outlet store at Potomac Mills in Woodbridge, VA is great too. Potomac Mills is further from DC though.

Just curious, when you mention "outlet store" are the prices discounted or do they just have a good selection?

No the prices are the same, it's really not that different than the regular Lego stores, just a bigger store with a better selection and larger quantity of each set than the regular Lego stores.

Welcome to the site...you will find this to be a well informed forum for LEGO information regardless if you are a collector or an investor or a combination of both. I seem to check the site several times a day.

Welcome to the website! This is one of my favorite on the net and one of the friendliest by far.

Hey welcome, I'm from Virginia as well, the next time Rich and I go to Potomac Mills or Tysons we will let you know!

Hey welcome, I'm from Virginia as well, the next time Rich and I go to Potomac Mills or Tysons we will let you know!

I've actually never been to the Potomac Mills store. How does it compare to Tysons?

Hello and welcome. Collector here as well. I appreciate the efforts the investment side of this site has went to in order to keep us informed of the street value of all the sets. It's nice to have a good idea of what things are worth so I can grab the sets that are about to go EOL or out of print before it's too late.

I've actually never been to the Potomac Mills store. How does it compare to Tysons?

It's similar to Tysons, just bigger. I'd say 1.5x the size of the Tysons store. It's nice though, it typically has a better selection and larger inventory of each set.

Welcome, DC is on my short list for travel this year.

Potomac mills is just larger. Therefore better. Also the store workers are more friendly (imo)

I also live in the DC area and, mostly because of the tough economy the last few years, have become a 50/50 person ... 50% collector, 50% seller. Anyway, I'm glad to know so many other local Lego enthusiasts are members. As to the 8th grader who asked about places to buy Lego when his class visits D.C., your best bet may be to try to talk your teachers and chaperones into including a visit to the National Building Museum a few blocks. It's one of the most beautiful buildings in DC. Last year there was an incredible Lego exhibit there (a link to the exhibit is pasted below). It also has a great Museum Shop that carries nearly all the Lego Architecture sets (at least it did the last time I was there). http://www.nbm.org/exhibitions-collections/exhibitions/lego-architecture.html The only other place I can think of is the Barnes and Noble store inside Union Station. It is a relatively small store, so it's Lego offering won't be as extensive as in larger locations. But they definitely have a Lego section. Hope this helps a little. Have a great trip!