Brand store to open in Manchester, UK

 

  • Brand store to open in Manchester, UK

    Posted by Huw, 14 May 2012 15:50. Filed under Shopping (UK).

    The location of the eighth brand store in the UK has been revealed on the jobs section of LEGO.com. It will be in Manchester, in the Arndale Centre, in the middle of the city.

    Clearly LEGO think there is a need for one there, despite the LEGOLAND Discovery Centre being only a few miles away in the Trafford Centre.

    I believe there is to be another store opening in the UK this year, but its location still remains a mystery. If I had to guess I'd say it will be in t'north of country, though :-)

    (thanks Martyn for posting this news in the forum)


    30 comments, latest one posted 12 months ago. (Commenting has ended on this article)
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Comments

Posted by Matthew in United Kingdom, 14 May 2012 16:02

Guess I just waved goodbye to doing things on my weekends from August onwards :-)

Posted by bahnstormer in Germany, 14 May 2012 16:12

how are they going to sell anything when it's all been nailed to the shelves?

(ha ha ;-) )

Posted by cheshirecat in United Kingdom, 14 May 2012 16:53

I am so very very happy.

Posted by Matthew in United Kingdom, 14 May 2012 17:09

>Clearly LEGO think there is a need for one there, despite the LEGOLAND Discovery Centre being only a few miles >away in the Trafford Centre.

I clearly think so too. The shop at the LDC is an overpriced waste of space, now brand stores are a different kettle of fish...

Posted by James Skywalker in United Kingdom, 14 May 2012 17:20

At last something worthwhile for Manchester to celebrate. I wonder if they'll run at a £158 million PA loss and hire an open top bus to tour the city?

Posted by Bilko in United Kingdom, 14 May 2012 17:37

Hooray! Not impressed with the store at the Trafford Centre at all so it's great to have a proper brand store nearby :-)

Posted by khmellymel in China, 14 May 2012 17:54

*Is jealous*

Posted by stu241273 in United Kingdom, 14 May 2012 17:57

My guess is Leeds.

Posted by Andhe in United Kingdom, 14 May 2012 18:28

^I'd doubt that. More likely to be in a large shopping centre like Meadowhall if they aimed at Yorkshire.
Manchester is good though! Guess the Trafford centre would have stepped on the LDC's turf, though as Matthew says, the LDC is an overpriced waste of space, and a crushing disappointment whenever I foolishly darken its doors. I found the centre of Manchester surprisingly lacking, but a Lego store now makes it worth the trip.

Posted by scottwb2010 in United Kingdom, 14 May 2012 18:47

I'm hopping the next UK one is in Glasgow or Edinburgh. We need one in up in Scotland!

Posted by mrdoofa in United Kingdom, 14 May 2012 19:30

This really is good news, I'm glad Lego have finally realized that people do live north of London! I visited the store in the Trafford Centre a few weeks ago when I went to pick up my new ipad from the Apple store there and was very unimpressed. Although, as happy as I am about this it seems quite close to the Liverpool store. A store in Leeds, probably in the white rose centre would be perfect for me as I only live 10 miles from there. I also agree that Lego shouldn't forget about people in scotland.

Posted by romax in Ireland, 15 May 2012 02:47

Me thinks a road trip is in order :-)

Posted by teamladd in United Kingdom, 15 May 2012 03:17

I wish they would bring a store to Bath or Bristol. Bath has only one toy shop and its rubbish.

Posted by scholte23 in Australia, 15 May 2012 03:25

When will Australia get a LEGO brand store, we desperately need one.

Posted by rockbrick in Gibraltar, 15 May 2012 03:36

When will Spain or Portugal get one ?

only 5 countries in the whole world with Official Lego Brand Stores ?

Yes most independants and the likes of TRU have better selection and prices but we miss out on the other items that are unique to brand stores and the monthly model builds, special limited edition giveaways etc...

Posted by bluemoose in United Kingdom, 15 May 2012 03:41

^^ to be honest, I was surprised they went with Cardiff rather than Cabot Circus @Bristol when it first opened. Cribbs has got excellent road links, and would also make a good choice.

It's an open secret that they've been looking to open a store in Glasgow or Edinburgh for years ... they've had problems finding a suitable retail unit. Getting the right combination of store size, rent, customer footfall & demographics, etal., isn't easy.

Posted by meccanotwitch in United Kingdom, 15 May 2012 04:17

Leeds or Sheffield would be an excellent choice but would either be too close to Manchester to be worthwhile.
I do hope so and its good that Lego realise there is a top half to the UK.

Posted by pantzman in United Kingdom, 15 May 2012 04:22

As Birmingham is supposed to be the second city and there isn't one anywhere near I would have thought there was a natural choice. Now Manchester has this, discovery centre and Liverpool which is only up the road. I suppose they must have done their homework to come to this decision tho.

Posted by Delatron in United Kingdom, 15 May 2012 04:29

^ Birmingham did have one in the Bullring, but it shut down just as I got back into Lego :(

Meadowhall would be good for me, or Nottingham. Too much to hope that little ol' Derby could support one if Birmingham couldn't.

Let's hope the PAB wall is better in Manc land than at Milton Keynes - After a 2 hour drive I found it rubbish to be honest, and the staff were useless.

Posted by pantzman in United Kingdom, 15 May 2012 06:09

I didn't know there was one in Birmingham once Delatron. Was it there long?
B'ham didn't have the best reputation back in the day but when I returned last year for a visit after a ten year absence I was surprised how ultra modern it has become and how it seems to have found a new identity.
Easily on par with Liverpool and Manchester I'd say.

Posted by CapnRex101 in United Kingdom, 15 May 2012 07:41

We're going to have one in every city if we keep going at this rate. A store in Manchester won't be of much use to me, but I have Brighton about twenty minutes down the road. Nevertheless, any Lego stores are welcome! Still got my fingers crossed for Eastbourne getting a Lego store one day though! ;D

Posted by bluemoose in United Kingdom, 15 May 2012 07:51

The Birmingham (UK) store was open from ~2004 until 2006. It closed because it's turnover wasn't good enough. Basically, not enough customers spending enough money. Would not surprise me if Lego took another look at Birmingham in the future.

Posted by Delatron in United Kingdom, 15 May 2012 08:29

^Thanks bluemoose, knew roughly when it shut (actually a few years before I came out of my dark age) but didn't know how long it was open. Shame, i'm about 45 mins from Brum.

As I said before, I'll hope for Meadowhall (about 30mins up the M1) or Notts, but i'll visit Manc rather than MK as it's closer and my opinion of MK was a bit low. Fingers crossed for a PAB wall with a better selection.....

Posted by TinyHippo in United Kingdom, 15 May 2012 11:36

It's not an unprecedented move. Berlin has two LDC shops, as well as a large LEGO brand store. Best one I've been to, come to that, so here's hoping that's a good omen.

Posted by legoguysw in United Kingdom, 15 May 2012 14:25

I hope it's in Birmingham, the other Lego stores in the UK seem to have done well so I think it should be given a second chance. Plus I'm a resident of Brum and there aren't any other Lego stores particularly near.

Posted by nameloc in United Kingdom, 15 May 2012 15:14

could be nottingham, or leicester, all far enough apart from the nearest store, and both central, also they have good retail footfall

Posted by khmellymel in China, 16 May 2012 04:29

^^ Since Game and other stores have gone into Administration, Lego should check out Princes Street in Edinburgh. Lots of retail space available now! Even the Disney Store's recently moved out.

Posted by Statham69 in United Kingdom, 16 May 2012 17:26

Come on we need it to be Meadowhall

Posted by Jamesabeth in United Kingdom, 16 May 2012 20:58

This is great news. Might make more trips into the city centre now. Went into the LDC not long ago and was shocked when I got to the till with a Shuttle Expedition ~£90!

Visited the Liverpool store twice and was impressed with the helpfulness of staff and choice.

Posted by carding in United Kingdom, 18 May 2012 18:18

t'north of country, that was a throw away joke.

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