This is awesome!!!!!! I wish I could get it but I am saving my money for the HP sets.

Yeah I am also saving for Harry Potter, but I keep getting certain distractions. Really good deals on ebay, the minifig sticker book, Kalmah at Rite Aid, etc. etc.

This is fantastic! But Im still saving money for Slave 1, Plo Koon's Ship, and Super Mario Galaxy 2 ( heh, yeah way off topic but yeah) It does look great that LEGO has released such a spectacular set!

LOL... I love the pic with the boy opening the changing room's curtains to reveal... guess what! ;) Hey, we even get some spare torsos and legs!
Alemas

Wow this looks awesome!! Too bad I'm also saving money for Harry Potter! :(

By the way, in the new additions to database I see a keychain with a guy that has a M on his torso. Who is he?!

Looks like there's plenty of 1x3 tiles on the roof. The chandelier looks neat as well.

The SHOP sign above the door seems a little tacky, but GREAT designing on the rest and inside!

Tommyo3000, I believe that would be Max, the minifg from LEGO Magazine

This set does look awesome, but I'm not going to get it.

Oh yah! Now I remember him thanks Eerex! :)

(Jaw drops to floor) WOW!

accourding to brickpedia,The mailbox could foreshadow the next set to be a post office. Considering that the 10185 Green Grocer set included a fire hydrant and the next set was 10197 Fire Brigade.

I agree with Drdavewatford, a 40% increase is a lot. I just hope its 40% better than the others. That was an interesting observation by marcell051, a post office would be a great addition to the rest of the street.

Definitely jaw-dropping must-have set. I have to be very diligent husband to my wife now. :P

@ DrDaveWatford & meccannotwitch: the increase is not only in Denmark but all over Europe. One Euro is about 40% more than one US$. So we all pay 40% more than the Americans. This is a kind of discrimination and once again I don't like the Billund policy anymore. They are really adding up the last few years.
But it is a beautiful construction.

that set is awesome! is the escalator a working one, or does it just stay still?

Wow, LEGO never ceases to amaze me with what they can do. I was taken back by the escalators through the entire building, and there's definately a lot of rare parts in there for the store inventory. Obviously, there's no way I could ever afford such a model, but LEGO impresses me every day. I'm thinking I'll definately be waiting for the summer Star Wars sets (and my Separatists Shuttle that's coming in the mail--woo!)

@legofanatic2414, you wouldn't be the only one saving for Super Mario Galaxy 2 :D

Has any one noticed that there is one escalator per floor, instead of two. How are you supposed to go back down stairs once you get up?

As Xiaolong has noted we Europeans have to pay more for Lego, does anyone out there know why this is. Its not going to stop me buying this set or indeed any others, but as long as we keep paying the premium over the US, then I suppose Lego will keep adding it on.

The Grand Emporium is just amazing - they only keep getting better-designed. I like how the interior is being more fleshed out, especially the models, toy store, escalators, and roof.

@Hamish100. At least it's got an escalator unlike most lego buildings which have no stairs at all!:)

Perhaps they're reversible escalators, if there is such a thing.

@brickmatt: sure its a standard here where I live! most of our escalators can go up and down! there are pressure plates to activate which direction it will go, plus if nobody is on the escalator it will stop altogether after about a minute.

^ Maybe it's a German store, then :) Reversible escalators sound neat though I've personally never seen any.

Hooray for the Grand Emporium! @meccanotwitch, Prices for lego are cheaper in the U.S. for two reasons, 1 - economies of scale, more stores carry lego in the US than any one country in Europe thus allowing for cheaper prices due to volume, 2 - U.S. does not place Value Add Tax on imports (V.A.T.) we are a free trade country so we don't tax most imports unlike if U.S. ships to Europe where many countries will place protectionist taxes keeping regular priced imports high to reduce competion to the home economy. The only threat to Lego prices in the U.S. is a strong Euro. U.S. dollar has been increasing in strength lately so Lego will stay cheap for us.

marcello51: You make a very good point. I mean there was also a cash register in the green grocer, so there is a cash register. but one thing puzzles me about that theory though, how is there a multi story post office, it seems like there would only need one floor.(for my town anyway)

@WedgeAntilles, LOL. Well, the set does look very detailed, as they even have a shandeleir? wow and a billboard! This shows LEGO really knows how to make a good Emporium, I would not be suprised if they actually made a actual building out of this set! i mean this would make a really cool real emporium. oh, and I just noticed that they have the simple dot,dot smile faces like old minifigures! how classic LEGO!

This is my favorite line that LEGO produces. This line should continue on forever so we can continue to learn new building techniques and add awesome realistic colors like these to our brick collections. Unfortunately, due to the price, getting duplicates of these sets (and even 1 copy) is not wallet friendly.

The lack of escalators or elevators to bring shoppers back down puzzled me as well Hamish.

I don't care what the next set is in this line, I will be buying it!

Note to self (start saving money, you'll need it!)

@grogall: Lucky Germans! :) If only us Italians and Brits had those...

I am saving up for Super Mario Galaxy to, as well as the new Zelda Wii(working title) and Metroid: Other M.

I really want to know if the instructions are available so I can see how the escelators are made, i want to make my own :D

Wow, this looks great! Details are awesome. Expensive though...

I think the only way for shoppers to get back down would be to climb through a window and hitch a ride down with the window cleaner! Or, maybe try and run down the escalator faster than it moves upwards as I sometimes used to try and do foolishly as a child!

I am definitely getting this ASAP despite the price increase although I agree that it is a bit naughty to increase the price by 40% especially as it has less pieces than Green Grocer and Fire Brigade, perhaps it's the fact that there are more special/unique pieces, but 40% is still a lot!

There is loads of good sets to be had this year but I don't think I'll be able to afford all the ones I want so I'll have to prioritise but this is at the top of the list.

10211 Grand emporium is now available for purchase from shop @home UK, Germany, France, Austria, Ireland and Switzerland; Will ship by 19th March for USA and Canada; Not available for the rest (Australia, New Zealand etc.) yet. How annoying... c'mon LEGO put it up for purchase... can't wait to get my hands on this.

Just ordered it! I probably won't be able to sleep now until it comes! I'll post a review as soon as I've built it.

It's AVAILABLE NOW in the United States! Yeah!

I feel bad for everyone in the UK, it is so unfair that you guys have to pay 40% more and america, no change at all. I am not making fun, but just wanted to let you know that i care.

YAY it's avaliable now! Ive ordered!

Thanks Gameon99, i just wish Lego would care too. Even though its 40% higher, I stopped up and ordered it just after midnight, I just hope its worth it!

Checked lego.com to see what's on sale and surprise! this is available! Just ordered one - 17 days before the announced date. I love when that happens. Cheers!

Does anyone know if the Frankfurt store has this in stock? I was there on Saturday, no sign of it, but I'll happily go back if I can pick one up tonight.

Tomorrow is the Monthly Mini Model Build so i will check it out then, i am super exited that i might get my own, hehehehe<(giggleing like a school girl(i'm a boy))

In answer to my own question; I just called the Frankfurt store, they have it in stock! Wheee!

It's priced at AUD $249.99 in Australia (which is quite surprising, considering the Fire Brigade is $299.99). Got two in the basket.

Just thought I'd let you know that the instructions are now available to download from lego.com, I've just checked them out and judging by them I think this set will be promoted to being my favourite in this series so far pushing the Green Grocer into 2nd place.

I've just got the email from lego telling me that it has been dispatched so should be here very soon! I cannot wait!

It would be good if Marcello51's theory is correct, a post office would be excellent.

I also think that a pub would be a brilliant idea complete with bar, pool table, dartboard, living quarters upstairs and a beer garden although I don't know if lego would do this as perhaps it could be seen to promote drinking alcohol especially as lego is really supposed to be a toy, but, having said that this range of sets is clearly aimed at the older collector so you never know.

It is fun to build the ground floor, less so the middle, and the top is saved for tomorrow. Also got a free 7567 Traveller set, which was nice.

Yes! It's Available Now! I was disappointed when I checked yesterday to find that it was not available in Australia. Sorry, I was really impatient. Ordered mine today.

Perhaps it will be on display when I visit the Atlanta store on spring break next week.

mrdoofa: yes, a little tavern would be an awesome addition, with the pool table and dart boards, i think i found my next creation. I would add to that with a first floor being a resturant and the second floor being a kitchen/pub area and third floor living quartes, or switch the first and second floors. I would call the orlando lego store but since they got a recording and i have a phone that for who knows what reason, the dial pad does not work, i cannot so i will have to wait, i will keep al you updated if i find one, LATER ALL YOU HUMANS.

I think the picture where the boy pulled open the curtain is funny and the chicks like OMG!!!! LOL

I hate to say but the first floor should be called the ground floor, 2nd-1st, 3rd-2nd etc just like in real shops. But if thats a bad kept secert what about this summers trains!!?!

I ordered this. It looks great.

By the way, I was wondering if anyone could tell me about that big Imperial ship. I don't know whether or not to order it in the future. £140 is a lot of money to pay for a Lego ship, and from what I've seen it doesn't look that much bigger than Brickbeard's pirate ship.

@stormsworder are you talking about the imperial star destroyer because it is a good ship but has only 3 rooms counting driving compartment.I reccomend this set but there are a few structure problems.hope this helped :)

I personally don't own 10210 Imperial Flagship, but from reading the descriptions, it is 7" longer and 6" taller than Brickbeard's Bounty, and has 1,000 more pieces and 1 extra minifigure. The Flagship also has a higher level of detail with 2 decks instead of 1, 3 masts, a galley, and a jail cell. The price per piece is higher than that of other large, detailed sets like the Green Grocer and other modular buildings, but it's still a pretty good deal.

Thinking of getting this from Milton Keynes in May (yes, still a way off, but the excuse is a collectors fair at the local stadium). Did want the fire station but this looks far better. As for previous idea, a pub would be a good idea, with maybe a reception room on the first/second floor.

I don't think LEGO would want a "pub". That wouldn't be good for their clean cut family image.

Marcello51's theory is not new. Someone already discovered it when GG was out in 2008. Every set has given us a clue on what the next set would be. CC: some vegetables/fruits from the trash can, GG: fire hydrant, FB: purse(for shopping) on the girl. So there's 95% chance that the next one would be a post office(or at least will have something to do with the post).

Or it could be an ice cream parlor, just putting it out there.

and yes, I got my "copy" and posted the first review, woo, hope you find it helpful.

@browndogsmate: the best thing you can do is call Legoservice. You can find the free number in a catalogue, the booklet, on the box or at the website. Tell them about the curl, that you are not satisfied and they will send you another one for free. It should take less then a week. Succes.

Everybody seems to be very excited about this. I first want to see it. If the quality is as bad as the Cafe Corner (10182) I just build this weekend I think I stop buying Lego. (read my review if you want) I feel Lego is going the wrong way and they might loose a real addicted AFOL.

I just finished building the GE and here's a photo(I believe this is the 1st ever) of all 5 modular houses together: http://www.facebook.com/photo.php?pid=11617252&l=a54ac3c8bf&id=658535713
And also here: http://www.facebook.com/photo.php?pid=11617253&l=a1ff4f419b&id=658535713

They look really good altogether, I have got all 5 of them but haven't put them all together yet, however, I have noticed that part of 10190 Market street (the market itself) is missing from the pics.

@mrdoofa that's becuase my table is not long enough to accommodate it. Also, the market itself looks odd between those "tall" buildings.

@vader11,there gr8 pics

Yeah, you have a point there. I think it would look a bit odd when you think about it!

I think when lego bring out the next installment in the series you'll need to get a longer table LOL or do what I have to do and resort to the floor! Nice work.

The kid has a new kind of hat, i know first hand, bent bill and if you turn it around, it does not totally cover the minifig's eyes, it is about the same, awesome.