Review: 40305 LEGO Brand Store
Posted by CapnRex101,
LEGO brand retail stores have been the subject of several recent sets and many of those have proven to be very popular. 40305 LEGO Brand Store is the latest such model, containing 362 pieces and costing £21.99 or $24.99.
There is definitely some variation in the design of LEGO stores around the world, although this two-storey example bears little resemblance to most. Nevertheless, the set includes just about every internal feature one might expect to find in a brand store and appears distinctive when compared with past models. I am therefore approaching this review with high expectations.
Minifigures
Two minifigures are included, the first of whom is an adult wearing a floral patterned shirt. This torso design only appears in three sets so is very rare and it looks superb, featuring a row of tiny buttons as well as a white vest underneath. The textured hair piece is similarly impressive while the head is nicely decorated with a smile and some facial hair.
The child consists of more common components, sporting a white hooded jacket and tan trousers. I like the bespectacled face and this baseball cap looks a lot better than its simpler counterpart which includes less textured detail. Neither figure comes with any accessories but there are many items to purchase inside the shop.
The Completed Model
LEGO brand stores are most frequently found inside shopping centres and they are rarely divided over two levels. This building therefore marks a significant departure from the conventional design of LEGO brand stores but I think it looks pretty good on the whole, featuring an attractive white, light bluish grey and yellow colour scheme as well as some trans-clear panels which are a characteristic feature of all brand stores.
The walls of the ground floor seem fairly plain to me, featuring very little texture and only a couple of decorative elements. I like the light bluish grey masonry bricks at the base of the building though and the scrollwork above the door looks excellent, alongside the LEGO branding. Unfortunately, the logo is represented by a sticker rather than a printed tile on this occasion.
Large windows dominate the front of the store and two more are located on either side. The dark and light bluish grey pieces look somewhat out of place in my opinion but I like the yellow awnings. A cash machine is also installed on the side of the store which feels like a cheeky inclusion, making reference to the frequent need for additional funds when one visits the LEGO store! The set does not come with any banknotes though.
The rear of the building is open, allowing easy access to the interior. This may bother some people but it feels appropriate for play and there is plenty of detail inside. LEGO stores always include a large 2x4 brick by the door but that has been reduced to a 2x4 plate here, leaving more room for shelving and to enter the store. A container is situated behind the red plate but there are no accessories to store.
LEGO sets from the CITY, Friends, Creator and NINJAGO ranges line the shelves on the ground floor. These take inspiration from official sets but do not match any exactly. The Creator set, for example, is similar to 5891 Apple Tree House but includes yellow walls rather than white ones. Furthermore, the sets are represented by stickered 1x2 bricks which do not seem as accurate as the more common design that makes use of 1x2 or 2x2 tiles.
The pick-a-brick wall is represented by a series of translucent 1x1 round plates behind the counter. A 1x3 brick forms the counter which looks rather bland but the cash register on top is nice and I like the assembled sets on display in the window, adding an extra splash of colour to the model.
The first floor is similarly furnished with some familiar features of any LEGO store, including the build-a-minifigure bar and a container for role play items. The build-a-minifigure bar looks particularly accurate, featuring a large minifigure statuette and four trans-clear containers. This level also includes two more sets on display and a couple of Juniors sets in red boxes.
LEGO stores are well known for their elaborate light fixtures, resembling the tubes on the underside of a brick. This set does not include internal lights which is a shame but the design on the roof looks like the studs on top of a 2x4 brick. The decorative parapets along the front edge of the roof look pretty good too, despite their simplicity.
Overall
I always enjoy sets which depict aspects of the LEGO brand and 40305 LEGO Brand Store is another excellent example. Its two-storey design most closely resembles that found in 60097 City Square but this model is more detailed than its predecessor and looks more impressive on display in my opinion, not least because of its bright colour scheme.
However, there is some room for improvement. A store employee should certainly have been included and the LEGO sets look more realistic when represented by 1x2 tiles rather than 1x2 bricks. Moreover, I would love to see an entirely accurate rendition of a LEGO store at some point in the future, although this is a fun set and I would certainly recommend adding it to your collection, especially if you already own 5001622 LEGO Store Employee.
I hope you have found this review informative. Let us know by liking this article and share your thoughts on the set in the comments below.
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43 comments on this article
I'm curious as to why they chose to make this fit in with the Creator 3-in-1 modular system, it makes the structure very boring although the detail inside is very nice.
The lack of a store employee is indeed a bit odd.
I bought this last week. It's a nice set, but nothing spectacular. With a few improvements and a Lego staff member it would definitely have been better.
Does anyone have any idea which sets the assembled sets in the window are supposed to represent?
So LEGO Store employees now work for a roller coaster but not a LEGO Store? This is LEGO logic 2018 for you.
Also is the $24.99USD? It seems like if it ever makes it to the States it be a $30 set.
Getting this because i have too. No release date though?
I had thought this was going to be a limited availability promotional set only, so I'm glad to hear it may get a general release. Is there any confirmation of that? Also when/where will it be available? It's not perfect but seems to offer good value and worth adding to other LEGO store sets to make a more complete MOC.
I am informed that this set is currently available at a very limited number of LEGO stores in the US and it does cost $24.99. It will almost certainly be available more widely across North American shortly.
The set is already available at most, if not all, European LEGO stores.
Agree with Capn that a Lego employee was a minimum to add to this set. And considering that Lego prints its logo on soooo many supports and items all year long, it would have been a good idea to gave us just a 2x2 red printed tile for this store's signboard. For the rest, as I have always loved microsaled representations of existing things (I was fascinated by train displays and landscapes as a child) I like this lego store and particularly the mini sets boxes. This is what lego is all about. But overall I feel like this store is a bit empty or missing something. Like it's not enough for a 30€ lego set and too big for a free gift eligible with purchase on LEGO.com... Thank you for the review and nice pics.
Any chance of getting closeups of the "boxed sets" included?
Also, any word on availability outside DK?
I got this at the Lego store in Disney Springs in Orlando, so it IS available there. (Or at least it was when I went 3 days ago)
Picked it up Sunday at the Mall of America store in Mpls.
Hopefully I can get one of these and tweak it a little for inclusion in my winter village. I think it would be a great addition.
I like it, in small doses I'll give it an 8 out of 10 billund..
Nice fairly generic parts, but put to good effect. Thanks for the review as always.
Important question: Would the stickers fit on 1x2 tiles?
Got this. Love it.
Awesome!
Thank you for the review, I really like the brick on the roof, but I can't understand that there's no employee. I kind of accept it that the pizza place below Peter Parker's apartment has no employee, but here? I also find the inclusion of the ATM almost cynical.
Stickers, Stickers, STICKERS!
So glad I haven't bought this as it has its issues.
Chicago Lego Store has this, as well as the Xtra bags which they got this morning according to the employee I spoke to.
Not sure if I'll get this, but if I do, I'm putting a tile on each one of those LEGO set bricks.
Nice review. I'm surprised you've overlooked the sections of wall that are easily removed allowing easier access to areas inside the shop. I was impressed at the technique used for this and thought it was really clever.
I think it's interesting to combine this set with the 40178 Exclusive VIP Set given at purchase in 2017. That set does include a Store employee, and also more interesting details to add to the overall building. Combination of the two sets could be quite an improvement to both individual sets!
This is available at the Leicester Square store, at least when I went on Wednesday.
Got the last one on the shelf in the MetroCentre last week.
My two-year-old son was absolutely smitten with this set when we were in Copenhagen three weeks ago, so I bought it for him. Unfortunately, the sticker sheet was literally completely missing the Lego logo sticker; it wasn’t even in the box anywhere, so I’ll have to get it replaced.
I’m not sure if this set would have even registered with me if my son hadn’t been there too, but once he saw it, he didn’t want to let go and just wanted me to pay for it and leave! The set is most definitely missing a Lego store employee, though, and the wife and I are jokingly making some very ill-founded and politically incorrect insinuations that the minifig with the beard is some creepy child molestor who wants to get acquainted with the kid in the set.
Do the brand stores in the UK have the giant 2x4 brick? I don't recall ever seeing one, and I've visited at least four.
I have a Lego Employee Minifigure of myself from when I did my service at the city's Lego Store back in 2015. If this set rolls around to my area, I'll have to pick one up.
A bit put off by the stickers, shall have to have a look next time I’m in a store if I change my mind (I probably will)
From what the US LEGO CS said, this will be available online in the US at some point but in physical stores, only in 'Flagship' stores (according to an employee at a LEGO store, so take that with a grain of salt).
I plan to pick up a couple and get going on a modular MOC in this type of color scheme. First floor Lego store, and then from there idk yet. But I do like this, I like the color scheme and style.
@waylander apparently the stickers are the same as in 40145. I wanted to put them on tiles as well (I'm making a Lego store MOC ATM). Regrettably they are just too big to go on 1*2 tiles and too small to go on 2*2. I agree it looks so much better on tiles like the printed ones in 60050 and 60097.
And yes it's definitely missing an employee...
Not bad for a round of self applaus.
@rogue10 I've taken a picture for you of my 'sets' from 40145, they are the same, although the friends one seems to be on a blue brick in this one.
You can find it here: https://flic.kr/p/JNFMZH
@JonMarten I'm pretty sure that all the stores have the giant brick - certainly all the ones I've been in - you may not have noticed it as it's often where the staff stand to greet customers and do little builds on during the day!
I live in the US, and though I really like this, I can't seem to find it anywhere! Does anyone know where or when this might show up in the US or in North America?
@Snowhitie .....thanks. Been collecting various stickered/printed Lego "boxes" for years in order to MOC a Lego shop or toy shop. Maybe these can be used anyway, or put a 1x2 tile of the same colour on the block to make it look better (tho even bigger).
Or.....carefully reduce the sticker size with scissors!!!.........Blasphemy! Blasphemy! "STONE HIM"!
@jhs8swd I guess I'd better go to one and check! You know, for research purposes.
Anyone else think that the adult fan minifig having "fat" markings on the exposed undershirt is a negative comment from Lego on the adult fans?
Might pick this up in the coming week, making use of the current double VIP point promo.
I prefer a 1x2 brick as the LEGO Set mimic. Some creator sets are sold in Big lego brick shape containers although they are just bricks rather than models.
Anyway a bit disappointed since the LEGO staff is not included.
I picked this up last week at the Lego Store in Disney Springs at Walt Disney World. I got 10% off with my WDW Passholder discount and double VIP rewards, which made it even better.
Since I'm building a small town, not a large city, these smaller buildings fit perfectly for my needs. Since I model the Christmas time, I'll mod the building with some snow and icicles. I wish they did more of these "realistic" Creator buildings instead of what we usually get.