Review: 11371 Shopping Street
Posted by Huw,
The annual release of the new modular building is always highly anticipated, and tomorrow you'll be able to get your hands on the latest one in the series, 11371 Shopping Street.
Last year's model, 10350 Tudor Corner, was arguably the best ever, so this one has a hard act to follow.
Summary
11371 Shopping Street, 3,456 pieces.
£229.99 / $249.99 / €249.99 | 6.7p / 7.2c / 7.2c per piece.
Buy at LEGO.com »
A very nice additon the modular steet although it lacks a 'wow factor'
- Interesting arrangement of the buildings
- Re-introduces rare parts
- NPU and details throughout
- Shop occupants are interesting, but obscure
- Carpenter can't access her workshop without going through music shop
The set was provided for review by LEGO. All opinions expressed are those of the author.
The completed model
When revealed a few weeks ago, it was not met with overwhelming enthusiasm for some reason. That might have been because, at first glance, it offers nothing new in terms of colour scheme or design.
The white and sand green of the left-hand side is reminiscent of 10185 Green Grocer but then that is 18 years old now, and still much coveted, so that's not necessarily a bad thing. In fact this model contains the hard-to-find sand green parts needed to build that model -- 1x8 bricks and 1x2 profile bricks -- which is good news for those who want to 'BrickLink' the old model. As usual, New Elementary has conducted a thorough examination of the rare and recoloured parts in the set so I won't repeat it here.
It's not until you look at it from the right angle do its unique qualities become apparent, for this is not one building, but two adjoining ones, cleverly arranged with an angled alleyway between them, which is something we've not seen before in a modular building.
The name shopping street is a bit of a misnomer because there are only two trading premises in the model, both of which are not something you find in every town, or indeed any town, nowadays. The sand green building is occupied by a brass band instrument shop called Brickleys. The ground floor is stocked with brass instruments and the first floor with percussion. The second floor is occupied by a small bedsit. The trader on the right is just as specialised, selling exclusively chairs. Above it is a woodworking shop where they are made.
The building looks higher than many recent ones, thanks to the rather nice gold cupola on the left, and indeed it is about 6cm taller than last year's pub.
As usual there are lots of interesting 'story-telling' details, such as a letterbox for pigeon post and pigeon loft on the roof.
Many of the walls meet at non-right angles, so a variety of techniques have been used to fill the resultant gaps, employing cheese slopes and the relatively new 1x4 half-circle tiles. Note also the Technic axle connectors used for the pillars by the windows and door.
There are no stickers in the set: everything is printed (yay!).
The small square in the middle has a statue of a cat, and the set introduces a white 'bird no. 32' (aka pigeon) which I suspect is much-coveted by anyone who builds LEGO cities!
Another interesting detail is the wheelie bin at the back with an old-style minifig chair in it. The piece used to be a staple in modular buildings but brick-built ones are expected nowadays, and in his review over at The Rambling Brick, Richard suggests that perhaps the fact it's been thrown away symbolises the shift to fancier alternatives.
Internals
Ground floor
This view of the ground floor best shows the arrangement of the two buildings, with a angled alleyway between them. The contents of the two shops can be seen more clearly in the construction images below, before the front walls have been added.
As usual, the interior floors are fully tiled and the pavement directly in front of the stores has a pleasing symmetrical and colourful pattern.
First floor
The right-hand building extends across the top of the alleyway and a door provides access to the chair maker's workshop from the percussion department of the music store. That's not entirely realistic or practical but no doubt the best that could be done in the limited space available.
A door in the music shop opens onto a small balcony overlooking the street.
Various items of percussion can be found upstairs, including cymbals, a bass drum and drum sticks.
Here you can also see how the spiral staircase has been constructed, studs sideways with a stripe running through it, clipped to a vertical bar.
The workshop is stuffed full of woodworking equipment and in one corner a wooden duck stands on a workbench while its paint dries.
Second floor
Only the left-hand building has a second floor, which contains a small bedsit with a single bed, a table and chair, and the room that every modular building has to include nowadays, a toilet. This provides a great view out onto the street through its clear windows!
Roof
In addition to the aforementioned pigeon loft the right hand building has a small garden on its roof, accessed from a door in the bedsit. The interior of the steeply pitched roof of the left-hand one is inaccessible.
Minifigures
Seven minifigures populate the set and the highlight of the selection is definitely the two young band members who, according to the set's designer, are twins. Their torso is new, and the tall cap, or shako, normally worn by the Imperial Guards in Pirates sets, is new in dark purple. The print on the front is the Billund coat of arms. A second one is provided for the other girl, and can be found in the shop.
The other figures are the twins' mother, who is using a crutch, the instrument store owner...
... a plumber, furniture maker/carpenter, who has a new print on her torso, and...
...a random guy with a cap.
Construction
As is always the case, the first part of construction involves covering the baseplate with tiles, which is a bit tedious, but when it's done it looks marvellous. The reason there's a plumber among the minifigure selection is only evident in this picture: there's a leak below the pavement in the alleyway! The puddle is covered over with a grille in a later step.
The contents of the shops are best observed before their front walls are added and in the music shop we can see various brass instruments, including a trumpet, tuba, and various horns.
The furniture maker's store sells nothing but chairs, and has fabric samples hanging in the corner.
As is always the case with modular buildings, only the ground floor is tiled, the others just have mats where appropriate.
The roof section above the music store has small windows along the sides and bay windows above the balcony, but the area is inaccessible to minifigures.
Verdict
I'm a bit late reviewing the model because it was not sent out to us at the same time as it was to other influencers. As a result, I did not need to rush to build it before the review deadline, so I took my time and enjoyed it more, tackling a couple of bags at a time over the course of a week or so. That gave more opportunity to appreciate the details and the 'nice parts usage', of which there is plenty, and far more than I've had space to mention in this review.
it may not have the same 'wow factor' as some past modulars, but nevertheless it's a very well-designed and attractive model that fits right in with the rest of the street, introducing unique features such as the angled disposition of the buildings, the alleyway, the bird house, and the curved frontage on the corner above the music shop.
I'll probably get shot down by half of you for saying this, but I'm glad that its designer took inspiration from my side of the Atlantic again, although exactly where from is hard to pinpoint!
My only complaint concerns the occupants of the retail units: they are a bit obscure. In a set named Shopping Street, I think a corner shop and a nail bar would be more appropriate nowadays!
The price of the 3,456 piece model is $249.99, £229.99, €249.99, which is a $20/£30 increase on last year's 10350 Tudor Corner. It does, however, have 200 more pieces than the drinking establishment, and more in fact than any other single baseplate building, so it's still fair value for money.
One advantage to publishing my review late is that you won't have long to wait after reading it before you can buy it: it'll be available at LEGO.com tomorrow, and the gift with purchase with it, or indeed any purchase over £180, $200 or €200, will be 40913 Vintage Parade Car.
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60 comments on this article
Gonna be brutally honest: this set just feels like an uninteresting rehash of 10255
I feel like this modular is a bit lacking on it's own but is sure to add really nicely to a row of them.
last year's model set the bar too high and I doubt it'll be surpassed any time soon.
As WolfpackBricks63 and others have noted, this is a watered-down version of Assembly Square. And that set had retail and commercial spaces more realistically tied to "shopping streets".
I loved Tudor Corner last year, but will be skipping this. Some nice individual pieces do not an interesting LEGO set make.
Not fond of the colors...
What a bad design. This one makes the Jazz Club look great in comparison.
I see a furniture-maker who is so distracted by her loud, loud neighbour that she is forced to throw away her very livelihood. This woman is not in a good space.
The only story that's going to be told here, is "The Case of the Partially Eaten Musical Instruments Salesperson", a -very- brief Ace Brickman Murder Mystery.
@Huw - can you show a photo next to Assembly Square, since it's the most thematically appropriate other modular?
I adore the alleyway - hidden away, it's something I missed glancing over the press release.
The angled work is nothing less than art. A bar has been set here for years to come.
It unfortunate then, that the overall execution leaves something to be desired. Perhaps similarities and discussions of "rehashes" are inevitable after so many years of modulars. No one can argue however, that a brass band shop and a chair design workshop have been done before!
On the closeup looks at the windows, it's terrible to see so many scuffs, scratches and other marks (although a number of these are bits of fluff and cat hair). It's been said before, but LEGO really need to sort out protection of such elements, in manufacturing and shipping within the boxes. Parts in this state are simply not good enough.
This is at least the third alleyway between buildings, both Assembly Square and Detective Shop have them, with Detective Shop having a building over the alley and Assembly Square having just a roof
Does anybody else feel that the GWP should have been a group of Bands people so we could have a full marching band, using the instruments from the band shop?
@Huw - will you be doing your normal follow up article showing this modular lined up against a few others?
@IgelCampus said:
"What a bad design. This one makes the Jazz Club look great in comparison."
So Jazz Club was going to be the first modular that I skipped. Then this came out and I decided Jazz Club was not that bad! We'll see if next year's, or the year after's modular can inspire me to pick up this disappointment.
Nice review, though!!!
I am very tempted by this modular, and this might finally be the the first modular I purchase, mainly due to the (marching) band shop. As a member of a marching band I really hope that these torsos come to the build a mini figure later this year. Also the toilet. I just noticed the gold trimmer clarinet, which is the instrument I play in my marching band.
I didn't get the hype for Tudor Corner and I really quite like this building, am I the opposite of a default AFoL?
Having this set straight away instead of waiting for my birthday. I like the similar style to hotel boutique, although I feel the smaller building needs another floor.
I, for one, like the set and applaud the designer in bringing this unique set to life.
Not a fan of the colours or angles used. Just feels like a modular moc made up of creator 3in1 sets. Easy pass for me.
I like it and will mod it like pretty much all the other modulars I have. Thanks for the review, Huw!
As for the comment that the "designer took inspiration from my side of the Atlantic again": While this is an European design, I can tell of numerous cities throughout North America where these buildings would fit seemlessly.
For that same reason, all the Modular buildings released by Lego easily fit in my fictionnal city of Port-Laval, which is inspired by buildings in Montréal, Québec City, Toronto and Ottawa, with bits of New York City, Chicago and San Francisco.
@LegoStevieG said:
"Does anybody else feel that the GWP should have been a group of Bands people so we could have a full marching band, using the instruments from the band shop?
@Huw - will you be doing your normal follow up article showing this modular lined up against a few others?"
Yes I hope to.
The building techniques are interesting and varied - I especially appreciate the mix of plate hinges and rounded 1x2 plates to create the angles for the walls and the floor. Things have come a long way since the cafe corner and green grocer! It’s so good to see lots of previously niche AFOL moves making their way regularly into sets aimed at younger fans. I really like this set and I’m glad to see a music shop making an appearance. Now just need a 50% off to make it a reasonable purchase.
I’m so surprised by all the negativity, although as a diehard modular fan, would prob buy any slop that has the modular label on it lol.
Still, I like it tho
Is it the second or the third coat of paint on the duck?
I just need the pigeons.
This is the first modular since I started collecting them with 10243 Parisian Restaurant that I might not pick up. The actual footprint is super tiny considering the increased price this time around. But more so, I can't quite express what I dislike about it. I think the colors and design makes this look like a regular Creator set, not Icons, along with the facades looking like alt 3-in-1 builds? I guess I don't see cohesion between all the choices made here.
I like it, but I don't love it. My biggest issue with it is the interior. Not only is it cramped, but I don't think the space that is there was used very well. I do like the exterior and all the interesting angles and details though.
@Huw said:
"This view of the ground floor best shows the arrangement of the two buildings, with a 45-degree alleyway between them."
It isn't actually 45º, it's 36.87º, or a 3:4 ratio (so the diagonal is an integer as well, the classic 3-4-5 right triangle). NewE actually got this wrong in their review.
If you look at your top down photo of the ground floor, it's most evident it isn't 45º when you look at the tiling in front of the chair shop. The edge of the grey raised stoop area doesn't cover up each row of tiles below it to the same amount, like it would if it were 45º.
You can also tell due to the angled plates that fit together perfectly where the orthogonal areas abut the angled areas at the first floor floor. They're using 3x6 angled plates (parts 54383 and 54384), which have a 1:3 angle, or about 18.4º. Double that, since two are placed angled side to angled side, and you get about 36.8º, not 45º.
NewE's top down base photo has another area that clearly shows this isn't 45º. At the short angled wall at the rear of the brass instrument shop, the angled wall sits on some brown 45º tiles (part 35787), and you can clearly see the wall is not parallel with the angled edge of those tiles.
Could the inspiration be the Austins building in Londonderry? I don't know anything about the building but the left side building does have some similar features.
I'm really hesitating on this one. It's not a bad set by any means (that's really hard to do with a modular), but there's nothing about it that screams I NEED IT. The colours aren't particularly striking, and it seems like the designer wanted to show off their skill with angles more so than refining the building itself. Also, really boring theme: its virtually the same as Assembly Square which, as a matter of fact, also had a music store.
I haven't got the Jazz Club yet, so I might take this chance to get it before it retires. I'm also on the hunt for a copy of Detective's Office, so I guess this is a low priority at the moment. Might get it a few years down the track.
You can tell the British/European bias in this review and I'm not talking about the architecture. This is not a brass band shop, it's a marching band shop. There are no clarinets in brass band. Also brass bands are not very common in the US like they are in the UK.
I do think that this is a huge missed opportunity for Lego to create a trombone mold especially with it being used in the Star Trek set. A french horn mold also would have been useful for holiday sets.
@gearwheel said:
" @Huw said:
"This view of the ground floor best shows the arrangement of the two buildings, with a 45-degree alleyway between them."
It isn't actually 45º, it's 36.87º, or a 3:4 ratio (so the diagonal is an integer as well, the classic 3-4-5 right triangle). NewE actually got this wrong in their review.
If you look at your top down photo of the ground floor, it's most evident it isn't 45º when you look at the tiling in front of the chair shop. The edge of the grey raised stoop area doesn't cover up each row of tiles below it to the same amount, like it would if it were 45º.
You can also tell due to the angled plates that fit together perfectly where the orthogonal areas abut the angled areas at the first floor floor. They're using 3x6 angled plates (parts 54383 and 54384), which have a 1:3 angle, or about 18.4º. Double that, since two are placed angled side to angled side, and you get about 36.8º, not 45º.
NewE's top down base photo has another area that clearly shows this isn't 45º. At the short angled wall at the rear of the brass instrument shop, the angled wall sits on some brown 45º tiles (part 35787), and you can clearly see the wall is not parallel with the angled edge of those tiles."
Oh. Right, Umm, thanks.
Off for a pilgrimage to the local lego store Friday morning for this fella. I got the Japanese landscape for 80% MSRP online - arriving in mail on Friday. Recent years have shown that modulars sadly don't discount quickly enough.
Thanks for the review. I quite like this one and thought it might look good across the street of the Boutique Hotel. You know, two towers on each side. Although that probably would mean rebuilding the blank sides, give them windows and extend the pavements for a better mirror image.
I do believe there have been some requests over the years for a set like this that would look good between two modular sets. This seems like a very good fit.
In any case, the first modular I've strongly considered buying since the Boutique Hotel.
I'm trying to sort out what a "1x4 half-circle tile" is, as mentioned in the review. Anybody have an answer?
10350 the best ever ? Taking all factors into account…. 10243 and 10246 would like a word.
I’m a diehard Modular Bldg fan. However, this latest entry is just another example of post COVID LEGO being post COVID LEGO.
@gearwheel said:
" @Huw said:
"This view of the ground floor best shows the arrangement of the two buildings, with a 45-degree alleyway between them."
It isn't actually 45º, it's 36.87º, or a 3:4 ratio (so the diagonal is an integer as well, the classic 3-4-5 right triangle). NewE actually got this wrong in their review...."
Thanks for writing about that, I didn't want to have to do it. The design is pretty simple geometry, in the end, but the way it's all disguised makes it look quite clever. The shaping is definitely the best aspect of this set.
@Brickablat said:
"I'm trying to sort out what a "1x4 half-circle tile" is, as mentioned in the review. Anybody have an answer?"
Going from context, I believe Huw meant these: https://brickset.com/parts/design-79756 . Not exactly what I'd call a "half-circle *tile*," but it's a tricky part to name. I tend to refer to them as "1x4 bumps." They've been around since 2022, but they still feel new.
I like this set and the building techniques are top-notch. Great parts usage and details. The storytelling going on here is excellent and that’s a huge benefit and plus for the set.
Is it superior over some recent modular sets? No, but I listed positives for this one. I don’t think there is a single “bad” modular set.
I'm really surprised this is so disliked. It's one of my favourites, although I'm not sure I could tell you why you exactly. I could, for example, tell you why the Tudor Corner isn't (the Tudor bit is only limited to the top of the building), but this just looks like a great addition to a street. I cannot fathom reading things like "bad design"—and I certainly don't understand the fuss.
The New Elementary review you linked to shows that if you get multiple copies, you can extend the floors upward. This is something you could do with early sets like Cafe Corner and is something I’ve missed seeing in recent “modular” sets. I’m glad to see modularity return to modular sets!
Will wait for it to go on sale. Really wish they would do something different, like a hospital.
@BLProductions said:
"
Going from context, I believe Huw meant these: https://brickset.com/parts/design-79756 . Not exactly what I'd call a "half-circle *tile*," but it's a tricky part to name. I tend to refer to them as "1x4 bumps." They've been around since 2022, but they still feel new. "
I'd call it a 1x1x4 halfpipe. xD
I'm not a fan of the price increase when it seems to have a smaller footprint than Tudor Corner. The set itself is pretty nice, and I love the angles, but again, it doesn't have the wow factor. That all being said, from what I have seen online this is one of the best street additions. It works incredibly well with other modulars.
Lastly, I look forward to seeing the MOCs that come from those band Minifigures!
I'm really surprised by the amount of negative comments about this modular. Honestly, I think this set uses Pythagorean geometry much better than the beloved Boutique Hotel, which in my opinion is just ugly and poorly balanced.
I really like this. I think it'll look good added to Assembly Square.
I don't like the GWP, so will be skipping that, but I like the set overall.
@JanJ said:
" @BLProductions said:
"
Going from context, I believe Huw meant these: https://brickset.com/parts/design-79756 . Not exactly what I'd call a "half-circle *tile*," but it's a tricky part to name. I tend to refer to them as "1x4 bumps." They've been around since 2022, but they still feel new. "
I'd call it a 1x1x4 halfpipe. xD
"
Breadstick, 1x4
@PDelahanty said:
"The New Elementary review you linked to shows that if you get multiple copies, you can extend the floors upward. This is something you could do with early sets like Cafe Corner and is something I’ve missed seeing in recent “modular” sets. I’m glad to see modularity return to modular sets!"
I may be misunderstanding what you’re talking about (?) but all modulars can be stacked and extended ….
Maybe an unpopular opinion, but to me this is one of the worst Modulars ever.
Other than the reintroduction of the rare sand green pieces I can hardly find any redeeming features.
Not the best, not the worst. To me, it seems the problem is the naming. The focal point of this set is the alley. Try to come up with a name including 'alley' that makes it enticing. I could not (did not spend much time because it won't matter now anyway).
Bringing 1x8 and 1x2 in sand green is a plus but won't help the set - it will help PaB. I will most likely get this tomorrow to get the parade car and the Chinese horoscope horse. While the look is important, I mostly buy these sets for the building techniques and NPUs - according to @Huw there are plenty so it should be reasonably enjoyable.
@LegoStevieG said:
"Does anybody else feel that the GWP should have been a group of Bands people so we could have a full marching band, using the instruments from the band shop?
@Huw - will you be doing your normal follow up article showing this modular lined up against a few others?"
@LegoStevieG , I totally agree. I was hoping for more band members in the GWP. The parade car leaves me hoping for another set with band members for the parade!
Obviously I wasn't expecting another showstopper like the Tudor Corner but this is certainly pretty damn good. I still have the Natural History Museum on my wishlist, but I'm quite tempted to leapfrog it again with this!
Another price increase for the modulars :( $250 is too much, especially when it looks worse than every other $230 one.
Maybe it was mentioned in the review and I completely missed it, but it is nice that there are no stickers in the set. That helps it a bit although I stand by my previous comment.
Just reminds me of a Creator 3in1 moc. Looks sooo boooring.
I started collecting LEGO modulars with the bookshop. Skipped the history museum so far since I don't love it (but may get it at a discount). Tudor was awesome, but may skip this. I've gotten into Lumibricks and just get so much more appealing looking buildings and techniques, and can get two or three for this price :(.
Wonder if there will ever be a Brickset-like for that brand.
@roz1281 said:
"I started collecting LEGO modulars with the bookshop. Skipped the history museum so far since I don't love it (but may get it at a discount). Tudor was awesome, but may skip this. I've gotten into Lumibricks and just get so much more appealing looking buildings and techniques, and can get two or three for this price :(.
Wonder if there will ever be a Brickset-like for that brand."
I'm quite fond of their steam punk line, especially now that they've put more focus on the story.
Why not be the one to start a Brickset type of website for Lumibricks?
Chapter one: Fun Whole... ;-)
I love the look of this one, and will certainly be picking it up - looks like a fun build. Pigeons! Rats! Uniformed marching twins! (And yes, I was in my school marching band, too, years ago!)
@PhantomBricks said:
"Maybe it was mentioned in the review and I completely missed it, but it is nice that there are no stickers in the set. That helps it a bit although I stand by my previous comment."
No stickers is the norm for the Modular Buildings line. There've only been like one or two, can't remember which ones.
I like the building itself, but not the interior setup - I think it might seem more coherent with something like having a smaller music shop (or a different shop entirely) on the right, then using the larger shop for furniture with a flat / workshop above....
Also, is this the first modular with no roof access? I thought that was required by modular street zoning regulations, the way the others all squeeze in random ladders and roof hatches...
That wooden duck is a cute reference.
They even went so far as to put little tiny Lego logos on its wheels ;)
I want to like this set enough to persuade me to buy it, however after another review I'm still not convinced, so no purchase from me anytime soon.
At first glance, I thought the yellow chair in the trash bin was supposed to be melted cheese dripping. Maybe something for the rat to feast on? :D
But yeah, that yellow chair has been around since the early Basic sets of the 90s.
@TheOtherMike said:
" @PhantomBricks said:
"Maybe it was mentioned in the review and I completely missed it, but it is nice that there are no stickers in the set. That helps it a bit although I stand by my previous comment."
No stickers is the norm for the Modular Buildings line. There've only been like one or two, can't remember which ones."
Ah, that would explain it, thanks! I have only admired modulars from afar so wouldn't know the standard first hand. It's probably for the best since I would probably get fully pulled into modular collecting, and I can't afford it, especially with these prices.