Hi everyone.

Well, after thinking about it for the last couple years, I decided to start up a real life physical retail store selling lego. I’ve been working on getting the space ready for the last couple months, and will open the doors this saturday, October 20th. Starting out, I will be the only employee, but I’m sure that will change very soon. I’ll at least have to hire someone to host the birthday parties we will offer. Since i’m doing this independently, instead of joining a franchise like bricks and minifigs, i don’t exactly know what all to expect, but i’m sure it will be fun. If anyone here is in the rhode island area, come check out the store and say hi.

 

Good luck on your journey ... keep us updated ! 

Pics would be nice. I’d like to see what the store looks like.

Cool. I love my local bricks and Minifigs store but was never really sure the franchise was worth the extra expense. I am friends with the owner and he makes a lot of his money with used and not as much with new.  Are you going to deal in used with brick tables and the works?

I run my seasonal pop up store only November and December with new only.

I wish you all the best, but make sure that you're legal with the minifig head and 1x1 plate graphic on your logo. I'm not sure about the US, but it would be a concern in the UK. That's one disadvantage of not being a franchisee as the franchisor will take care of all that for you. I hope you're prepared with the huge overheads that a B&M store comes with as eBay's FVF is nothing in comparison. Assuming you've done all the homework and scored A* on it, enjoy the adventure!

Edited October 15, 20187 yr by TabbyBoy

Wow. Respect to you.

Would Love to hear your adventures in retail. If it goes well, you could start your own franchise [emoji6]

 

 

Did you get permission to buy from Lego, whole sale?

Can you make the logo BIGGER?

Teasing aside, I am quite happy hearing about your exciting entrepreneurship. Unfortunately I will probably never get to see your storefront for myself as such would be one very long road trip. Nevertheless I wish you the best of success in your endeavor and "may you walk on warm sands".

Assuming this takes off (I hope it does!), the franchising model could work for you as the US after-market is far more mature than that it in the UK. It would be a good way to expand while somebody else picks up the local overheads.... and you charge a "nominal fee" for the privilege of using your brand. It'd be interesting to see how well you do in your first year compared to other new toy shops and emporiums. Oh... I've taken another look at your logo and I love it!

Best of luck! Is it OK to use the head in your logo? Not a black and white thing, but best to change now rather than change later, once you've established your business, based on a future legal challenge. 

Just for reference, another non-franchisee store. See Logo on top left.  I go to this one once a year when I visit my in-laws.  Although, I enjoyed their old location better than their new one.  The new one is too large and doesn't look full enough.  Too much dead space IMO.  The old one, your eyes were non-stop looking at the next display and item for sale w/o the dead space.

https://atlbrick.com/

With this store, the main thing is to make sure people know what you are from the outside.  This store was tucked away behind a self-storage (or something like it) off the road a bit and it just happened to have "something" that made you know Lego was sold inside which made us stop the 1st time.  Otherwise we would have kept on driving w/o knowing.

I think that the head & 1x1 stud piece shown in the logo are generic enough (and not precise to a lego piece) - so that it "shouldn't" be a problem.

Good luck with the store - Personally, I couldn't justify doing it (way too much work, and stress), but I can definitely see it being successful.

9 minutes ago, KShine said:

I think that the head & 1x1 stud piece shown in the logo are generic enough (and not precise to a lego piece) - so that it "shouldn't" be a problem.

Minifigs/parts still have a valid trademark, at least in the EU. So that might be an issue.

An EU court ruled that the brick shapes are technical and can't be trademarked.

Caveat emptor for using either in the US.

Anyway, good luck. I've thought about opening a pop-up this year but rents are looking prohibitive.

Thanks for the support!
To answer some of the questions:

I’m still setting up, so I’ll post pics once I have it all ready.

I’ll be selling new & used sets, minifigures, and pieces, as well as hosting birthday parties & events. Hoping to start an adult club that meets once a month too.

No wholesale or anything directly from Lego. From what I’ve read online, you can’t have Lego as a majority of your business to buy from them. You can have a general toy store with a Lego section, but it can’t be the largest percentage of your shop.

As for the logo, I needed something that would be obvious to people that I’m selling Lego products without using the word “Lego”. Hopefully I don’t get any letters from Lego lawyers about the big yellow happy face with a bump on his head.

Good luck!  That's pretty cool.

Bricksonthedollar has a shop now too.

Reach out to him https://www.google.com/amp/s/bricksonthedollar.wordpress.com/2017/10/19/what-is-the-warminster-brick-shop/amp/


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2 hours ago, chinothegeeko said:

Bricksonthedollar has a shop now too.

Reach out to him https://www.google.com/amp/s/bricksonthedollar.wordpress.com/2017/10/19/what-is-the-warminster-brick-shop/amp/

I just watched some videos of the shop. No cases protecting the inventory, all the minifigs just sitting there right within reach of any 3yr old (or 30yr old).

It is hard to imagine that there are not more minifigs just walking out the door, than are being sold.

Shrinkage must be a huge problem at any of these shops, but you should at least try to have some protection against it.

Sounds like a tough business to make profitable. Best of luck.

The small LEGO shop i had near me closed down recently.. I miss the atmosphere of these places.

Wish you luck, and yes would love some pictures of the place!

I just watched some videos of the shop. No cases protecting the inventory, all the minifigs just sitting there right within reach of any 3yr old (or 30yr old).
It is hard to imagine that there are not more minifigs just walking out the door, than are being sold.
Shrinkage must be a huge problem at any of these shops, but you should at least try to have some protection against it.

Lol.... shrinkage...
I think you mean “shortage”.

Where’s the meme maker when you need him?

Lol.... shrinkage...
I think you mean “shortage”.

Where’s the meme maker when you need him?

He means theft.


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https://www.investopedia.com/terms/s/shrinkage.asp

Quote

Shrinkage is the loss of inventory that can be attributed to factors such as employee theft, shoplifting, administrative error, vendor fraud, damage in transit or in store, and cashier errors that benefit the customer. Shrinkage is the difference between recorded inventory on a company's balance sheet and its actual inventory. This concept is a key real problem for retailers, as it results in the loss of inventory, which ultimately means lost money. 

 

18 minutes ago, donbee said:

 

Lol.... shrinkage...
I think you mean “shortage”.

Where’s the meme maker when you need him?

 

Meme generated 

https://www.investopedia.com/terms/s/shrinkage.asp

Shrinkage is the loss of inventory that can be attributed to factors such as employee theft, shoplifting, administrative error, vendor fraud, damage in transit or in store, and cashier errors that benefit the customer. Shrinkage is the difference between recorded inventory on a company's balance sheet and its actual inventory. This concept is a key real problem for retailers, as it results in the loss of inventory, which ultimately means lost money. 

 

Interesting. In Florida, we call it “shortage”. At least at the malls I’ve worked at. In particular Macys stores. It’s when your inventory comes up “short” because of loss.

i hope there wasn't...

Will you be selling Mega Construx at all? I know this is rather faux pas, but a brick is a brick. I personally like their Pokemon builds and the smaller series sets can be hard to find (Series 5).

Best of luck on your venture! This sounds great and I would stop by if ever in the area. 

It would be wise for LEGO to embrace these types of stores.  With profits decreasing and TRUs gone, they need more help promoting their products.  Good luck with the store.  Jeff and I always wanted to do something like this, but a job like this needs "all" of your time to start if you want it to work and even then there is no guarantee.  But it is a great job anyway you look at it.  It would be fun coming to work!