Holiday gift guide: Bookshop
Posted by Huw,
The eve of the unveiling of next year's modular building seems like an apt time to publish Dangerplug_MK2's recommendation in the $100-$200 category:
When it comes to the $100 - $200 range, there can only be one choice: 10270 Bookshop
In the words of the owner of this site, this set is ‘the best since 10243 Parisian Restaurant... it’s colourful, varied and attractive’. Need I say more? Anyway, I’ll try…
This year’s phenomenal modular is one of a kind. It includes the first full house since 10218 Pet Shop, which was released in 2011, and if a sample size of two is anything to go by, then the next purely residential building won’t be released for another 9 years! What’s more, this is the first ever Lego bookshop, which provides much-needed variation from the ever-growing assortment of food-themed buildings.
Moving on to the buildings themselves, will there ever be a more unique or impressive-looking modular? Before 2020, the idea of a completely teal modular would have seemed far-fetched; laughable even. But the designers have managed to craft an incredibly striking yet stylish building, which brings a much-needed splash of colour to the muted palette of previous modular buildings.
This is both accentuated and complimented by the more subdued tones of the bookshop, creating a fantastic pairing. Both have beautiful facades, created using some fantastic techniques, making it a thoroughly enjoyable build. Nor does the incredible level of detail stop outside, like so many modulars, but continues with detailed interiors.
10270 Bookshop may be expensive, but I can assure you worth every penny. Furthermore, it appeals not only to modular collectors and city builders, wanting to bring a splash of variation to their line-up/city (I find it looks particularly nice next to 10251 Brick Bank), but to anyone looking for an incredible building experience, book lovers and even fans of the colour teal! If you’re going to pick any set in the $100 - $200 price range, this it the one for you. You won’t be disappointed!
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23 comments on this article
Coincidentally, this is the set I chose to order last weekend for the VIP double points and the Charles Dickens Tribute. (I added a minifigure display case to reach the $200 threshold for the teal 2x4 brick.)
I've had it for about 6 months now, and the more I look at it, the more I really really love it! Even displayed with such masterpieces as Assembly Square, Parisian Restaurant, Brick Bank, and Detective's Office, it still has presence and it really stands out. To be very honest (and against LEGO modular building consensus?), the Bookshop may have actually became my absolute favourite of them all!
Definitely gonna pick this up at some point, I love how cozy the outside and most of the inside look. The only disappointment is the bookstore having relatively few books but I can get over that.
As each building is a separate build with its own instructions really great for siblings to build together. Only criticism is the basement is unusable, needs a few more bricks height with windows and a door at the back then it would make a great kids den or man cave with pool table, cinema screen etc. There are also lots of alternative builds where these two are combined into a larger single build made possibly by not needing double adjoining walls.
This is in fact my second modular building! I bought the Pet shop a few days earlier. I finally found a reason to love the expert modulars-- the split build. I definitely will build the residential buildings, and will reassess if I want to keep/sell the business sides later.
The only Modular I have purchased directly from LEGO, didn't want to miss it
I've never bought a modular and this the one that has tempted me the most.
I love this set! So many wonderful things: the Copenhagen/Amsterdam feel of the bookshop, the San Franciscan feel of the house, only the second set of row homes, and of course the teal!
For anyone who wishes there were more bookshelves in the book shop… it’s LEGO, you can just build them! @ambr, elevating the teal house is a great idea. I did that in my own city to replicate the hillside feel of San Francisco‘s painted ladies, and the larger basement is a nice bonus.
I hope LEGO makes more split-build modulate, far sooner than 9 years from now!
If you like 4 shades of dark red roof slopes, I strongly recommend this set. ;)
I'm still waiting to get this at a deal, but I'm dead set on it. I couldn't care less about the next Modular Building, since this remains the only one that I've ever been interested in. I'm just not sure how I'm going to integrate it into my layout, since my layout has been intentionally designed to *not* accommodate Modular Buildings in any way, and integrating it is going to be no easy modification.
I'm still planning on buying a second one down the line, just to increase the depth of the builds. Right now, both buildings are positioned on each side of my Corner Garage.
I would like to try a modular building sometime, they have me very curious... but they're just *very* outside the range of what I can afford to spend on Lego. I think I'm just gonna be forever admiring them from a distance xD
Not complaining, just observing the facts! ^^
Took me ages to get this set earlier this year. It was either sold out or on back order. Finally got it, its a great set.
At first, I skipped this set cause of the poor interior, and also I wanted to save money for the 2021 modular. But if the 2021 one will be a Police station, I'll probably buy this one. Really, how many police sets do we need more?
This is the first Modular I didn't buy after many years of collecting the line. Perhaps someday I will get this at a substantial discount for completion's sake, but I am in absolutely no rush. Nothing about this screams "must-have" to me.
Incidentally, why is this even called Book Store? Where are the books, where is the store bit? If anything this should be called Town House.
Hopefully the Police Station will finally get the line back on track.
Great build, I really like how each building in the line has a different architectural style. It was quite well received at first, I wonder where all this negativity towards it came from? It fits great in the line, portrays more of a residential area than a pure downtown building, has great colors, and personally I liked seeing the half-basement which was very common in the past. For obvious "can't dig through the baseplate" reasons, we're never going see a full basement, but this was a great rendition.
I bought two copies of this one. Adapting the 2nd Townhouse in lemon yellow, and doubling the width and increasing the depth of the bookshop, with more bookshelf space.
The Silver Birch tree in front of Birch Books is a neat touch - how many other modulars have trees in them? Now planning to retrofit my street with more of those trees.
A day one purchase for me as all modulars have been since 2014 - i thought that the house looked a bit small (especially where it is sited, next to my heavily extended and altered cinema) so I added a duplicate first floor - this needed modifications to the entrance porch and a small window over the front door but it looks good; parts were probably around £50 from Bricklink...
l was going to buy this today but it's out of stock
May I ask what is meant by "full house"?
This Bookstore modular annoys me. The blue apartment isn’t big enough and is missing a story/minifig height basement and the lay out of the bookstore is nonsensical. There’s not enough books and a random bedroom in the top floor. I’ve been in bookstores like this and there should be books everywhere with a cafe. Outside looks great but I haven’t bought it yet because I know I’ll have to mod the interior to my taste and there’s too many other DTC sets that I want.
@ledmouse said:
"May I ask what is meant by "full house"?" I know this is a few days late (I’m behind in my reading) but I believe it is referring to the TV show that was in the late -80s, early 90s. It took place in San Francisco and look similar to the teal house here.