London's Leicester Square store set to become world's largest once more
Posted by Huw,
When the Leicester Square brand store opened in 2016 it was the biggest in the world, and it's set to regain that crown once more. Here's a press release about what's planned:
Ready, set, build: renovation will see LEGO Store Leicester Square become the world’s largest
The revamped store will be the first in the UK to debut the new ‘Retailtainment’ concept that blends physical and digital immersive play experiences in-store
The relaunch will take place in the summer holidays following a short closure for renovations from 26th June.
LEGO fans in London and the UK are in for a treat this year as the LEGO Group is today announcing it will be overhauling its Leicester Square store to make it the brand’s largest in the world. The overhaul planned for this year will see it reclaim this crown. What’s more, it’ll also be the first store in the UK to feature the LEGO Group’s new ‘Retailtainment’ concept.
Retailtainment will blend physical and digital experiences that allow shoppers to immerse themselves in the famous LEGO brick, as well as create personalised products. Some of the new innovations include:
- The Brick Lab: A world-first retail experience that immerses customers and their LEGO builds in an amazing virtual world. Walls, floors, and ceilings are brought to life with light, sound, and music for a truly interactive build and play experience.
- LEGO Expressions: Visitors can have fun with LEGO Minifigures who mimic their facial expressions.
- Tree of Discovery: An interactive model that showcases LEGO storytelling on a huge scale. The 880,000 piece structure will be the centrepiece of the store and is an expression of the LEGO Group’s commitment to being inclusive and having a positive impact on society and the planet. Visitors of all ages are invited to explore a magical wonderland hidden inside the tree through windows in its rainbow trunk.
- Storytelling Table: LEGO fans can go behind-the-scenes of the LEGO design process with the new storytelling table. They'll learn about LEGO sets via interactive areas that allow them to “meet the designers” through interviews and videos displayed on screens. All while playing with the set in-front of them.
- Personalisation Studio: This element invites visitors to make a memento of their visit. In it, they can reimagine themselves in LEGO form, either as a portrait from the Mosaic Maker or an iconic Minifigure from the LEGO Minifigure Factory.
- Exclusive LEGO models: Fans can look out for incredibly eye-catching and unique 3D LEGO models throughout the store, with a newly inspired design based on ‘Stories From London’; bringing a combination of the City of London and British culture and entertainment to life in true LEGO form – it’s not to be missed!
(I hope the spelling mistake will be corrected!)
These will be joined by much-loved LEGO Store staples including:
- Build a Minifigure Tower: LEGO lovers can mix and match from a wide selection of bottoms, tops, heads, hairpieces and accessories to customise minifigures.
- LEGO Pick a Brick Wall: The Pick a Brick Wall is a great way for fans to select the exact elements that they require for their builds.
- Hands-on Play: Opportunities include exciting and free build challenges and events each month.
The Retail Director & District Manager of the UK Store Operations Team, Alison Wood said, “We’re looking forward to overhauling the LEGO Store Leicester Square. It’s a much-loved destination for LEGO fans from across the UK and abroad so we’re excited to bring the LEGO Group’s new ‘Retailtainment’ concept to the store. The new technology will immerse visitors in the brand like never before and provide them with endless play opportunities. We can’t wait to launch it.”
The current store will function as normal until Easter. From 17th April, only the ground floor will be operational. It will remain this way until the full closure takes place end of June, ahead of the reopening in the summer holidays.
The floor area of the store is being increased by 330sqm, making the total store size 1244sqm as opposed to the current 914.
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38 comments on this article
When did it become the 2nd biggest store?
Sounds like fun, but why does every store visit have to become a unique experience? I'm just here for my stuff please, thank you! I get it from a retail point of view, stay longer, buy more etc but still...
Imagine Lego opening stores in countries that don't have any instead of renovating already new stores and apparently trying to open a Lego Store in every single village in China....
Seems interesting, but I’m not sure about the tech aspect of it. Almost every time Lego has attempted a tech approach it’s flopped, and this seems less interesting as the previous ideas. Either way, I’m excited to see what they eventually do.
"Retailtainment"? What fresh hell is this
Seeing the word “retailtainment” there made me cringe almost as much as “metaverse”.
Genuinely surprised it was the biggest store...and now is only the 2nd! I'd have assumed there were much larger Lego stores than that.
It's not a spelling mistake.
Why is LEGO hell bent on “blending physical and digital experiences”. Don’t they realise we enjoy Lego because it is a physical experience. If I wanted a digital experience I can always go back to PC gaming as a hobby.
…rant over :)
The Lego Community said the press release about the Metaverse yesterday was cringeworthy and Lego responded: "Hold my drink!"
This store is already a fresh hell for AFOLs but joyous for children so this is only going to make it more the kids and tourists.
@mediAFOL said:
"It's not a spelling mistake."
Agreed. -ize is better.
https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Oxford_spelling
@jsworpin said:
" @mediAFOL said:
"It's not a spelling mistake."
Agreed. -ize is better.
https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Oxford_spelling
"
But we get to keep the u in colour right?
It sounds like hell tbh but it is across from the other portal to hell - the M+M Store.
However from the amount of tourists that visit London this will be a huge success.
I think it's fun. You lot need to lighten up a bit.
@Henkdevries said:
"Sounds like fun, but why does every store visit have to become a unique experience? I'm just here for my stuff please, thank you! I get it from a retail point of view, stay longer, buy more etc but still..."
@EvilTwin said:
""Retailtainment"? What fresh hell is this"
LEGO and other brands are increasingly seeing bricks-and-mortar stores not as points of sale but as points of marketing, with the idea that sales will follow online. So while you will still be able to buy from physical stores such as this one, their primary purpose will be to build the brand and the most effective way of doing that is through happy experiences that you remember.
I’m not defending the change, merely explaining LEGO’s thinking.
LEGO stores that are also tourist destinations are awful to shop at. LEGO should consider putting small, quiet stores near the large flashy stores. Then locals can simply shop, rather than having a retail experience.
@legofanboy said:
"Why is LEGO hell bent on “blending physical and digital experiences”. Don’t they realise we enjoy Lego because it is a physical experience. If I wanted a digital experience I can always go back to PC gaming as a hobby.
…rant over :)"
You are already a customer that even follows a page like brickset. So you are not the target here. To be honest most of afols are not the target audience for lego shops. The whole idea that they are telling with this marketing blahblah is about NEW customers. And the target audience of new customers for lego are kids. Kids who tell parents or any custody adults to go to this fun lego store. And kids don't have convictions about past lego mistakes, they don't think about flopped hidden side, they mostly think about what's now. I'm talking about kids of age 5-10. The more engaging for such kids those stores will be the more they will keep a soft spot for lego when they become adults. Lego plays a long game here.
Too bad it is such a pain to visit London now if you are from EU :(
Damn. I was going into London on my birthday to see a show at the end of June and was hoping to pay a visit, looks like that plan is out if the window. Mind you, will help the wallet,
@Sarge10, While I appreciate that Leicester Square is in Theatreland and therefore convenient if you’re seeing a show, the LEGO store at Westfield, Shepherd’s Bush is easy enough to get to. Just jump on the Central Line from Oxford Circus and you’ll be there in a jiffy.
@Brickulator93 said:
"When did it become the 2nd biggest store?"
Last year when New York's 5th Ave store opened, the Liecester Square store will look something similar to that store once complete. Can't wait to see it myself and I hope its done to other UK stores sooner than later.
I think the most likely store to have in the UK besides Liecester Square will be Birmingham or Manchester or one of the Scottish stores.
@Minifig290 said:
" @Brickulator93 said:
"When did it become the 2nd biggest store?"
Last year when New York's 5th Ave store opened, the Liecester Square store will look something similar to that store once complete."
I'm sure it's only a matter of time until Leicester Square loses the title once again as one of the other stores expands for another cringe-worthy "Retailtainment" "Metaverse" "Digital Experience" buzzword expansion. Likely a high traffic store with available space to grow...like Disney Springs.
Why London?
@snackyfrench said:
"Why London?"
I guess the Leicester Square store has the available space to allow this extension. Most stores in the rest of the UK are one unit in a shopping centre that would limit the option for this type of thing.
@CCC said:
" @DearMisterLegoBreaker said:
"Too bad it is such a pain to visit London now if you are from EU :("
It's very expensive to visit if you live outside of the London Underground system. Train or drive to London ... either way, its a slow journey that will cost a small fortune right now."
I'm not sure that travelling to London is any slower or expensive than it's ever been. I'll be travelling from Bath the next three Saturday's for football by train (may pop into the Leicester Square store on the way) and the travel time is the same as always and the train fare hasn't changed much in recent years.
@mediAFOL said:
"It's not a spelling mistake."
No kidding! In the UK, -ise spelling came into late popularity because the language seems to have an inferiority complex to French that dates back to the Norman conquest, in the face of all phonetic, etymological, and historical precedent. And modern Britain wants to distance itself from "Americanisms", even when a hefty number of them are actually Briticisms (like this one—Shakespeare didn't "-ise").
America has always assimilated and preserved British. In America, we've even got a different inferiority complex: commercials for dubious products are often read by British narrators, because the accent conveys erudition or refinement in the US. (This despite the American accent being mostly the same as that of 17th century Britain.)
So yeah, don't knock spelling words like they're English! It's a great language! The only people who didn't think so were 19th-century orthographers in the thrall of French.
Great news for Brexit supporters and also British nationalists.
@Lusitanian said:
"Great news for Brexit supporters and also British nationalists."
What in the name of ABS does that have ANYTHING to do with the article about Lego expanding their flagship UK store? Maybe I'm missing something here...
Retail-ment, Metaverse? Ole Kirk is spinning in his grave so fast you could generate electricity off him.
I think "only the best is good enough" has become "Eh, we kind of tried!". They made 2 billion in straight profit last year according to their annual report. They've gone to the dark side- Corporate buzzwords, laughable language in press releases, and very dumb ideas for expansion. (Vydio, anyone?) This all doesn't look good for the future of the company... not quite Disney or Amazon level of evil, but certainly leaning away from chaotic neutral - fast!
@MainBricker said:
"I'm going to be honest, that store is the definition of hell. You always have to queue, the staff are "super-friendly" with a KGB grilling of who you're buying the set for, where you've been, where you're going etc. Children running around, tourists not interested in buying anything, extremely busy etc.
Some of the other stores aren't so bad, although parents do use the stores as day-care."
To be honest, Liecester Squares store is just a massive tourist attraction like M&M's World that sits opposite it. I actually doubt many Londoners actually visit it frequently, even LEGO fans. For most Londoners they probably prefer either Westfield stores or even Watford or Bluewater. For many I doubt the Liecester Square store is a convenience.
I don't think any other LEGO Store has a mascot, Liecester Square has Lester the figure with merch such as shirts, figure and other stuff that only tourists would really buy.
Also visiting Liecester Square extremely pricey to visit - either paying for a load of underground trips, or paying eyewatering prices for parking. I'd say its the most expensive LEGO store to get too in the UK.
@ShinyBidoof said:
" @CCC said:
" @DearMisterLegoBreaker said:
"Too bad it is such a pain to visit London now if you are from EU :("
It's very expensive to visit if you live outside of the London Underground system. Train or drive to London ... either way, its a slow journey that will cost a small fortune right now."
I'm not sure that travelling to London is any slower or expensive than it's ever been. I'll be travelling from Bath the next three Saturday's for football by train (may pop into the Leicester Square store on the way) and the travel time is the same as always and the train fare hasn't changed much in recent years."
Good luck.
There aren't any trains running into London from where I am, all over Easter weekend.
Yet more engineering works.
Prices here have more than doubled in the past 10 years, it's a major reason I don't go into London much.
I've also lost count of the number of cancelled trains this past month
@Toc13 said:
" @ShinyBidoof said:
" @CCC said:
" @DearMisterLegoBreaker said:
"Too bad it is such a pain to visit London now if you are from EU :("
It's very expensive to visit if you live outside of the London Underground system. Train or drive to London ... either way, its a slow journey that will cost a small fortune right now."
I'm not sure that travelling to London is any slower or expensive than it's ever been. I'll be travelling from Bath the next three Saturday's for football by train (may pop into the Leicester Square store on the way) and the travel time is the same as always and the train fare hasn't changed much in recent years."
Good luck.
There aren't any trains running into London from where I am, all over Easter weekend.
Yet more engineering works.
Prices here have more than doubled in the past 10 years, it's a major reason I don't go into London much.
I've also lost count of the number of cancelled trains this past month"
Train was on time. Saved £10 on the fare by getting a split ticket. Nice walk across London via Leicester Square and now heading out to Essex for the game. The only thing that could spoil the day is the match itself!
blending physical and digital experiences ? LEGO WHY ? was any of Lego digital experiances successfull yet ? 10000 % NOT AT ALL ? Lego Universe = Fail ,Lego Worlds = fail, Lego Minifigures Online = fail, Lego Legacy = fail, Lego Dimensions = Fail , Lego Hidden Side = fail , Lego Videyo = HUGE fail,
why does the overpaid Lego Board dont understand "we the people dont want digital legos we are buying , collecting, building, trading LEGOs because of they are physical bricks. Instead of dumping multiple millions of $ at online BS they should use the money to release items the people crave for like Lego Classis Space, Lego Train Theme, Lego Pirates, Lego Wild West even Lego Bionicle would preform much better than all these money dumps incl Trolls and other failed overpriced licensed themes.
@Henkdevries said:
"Sounds like fun, but why does every store visit have to become a unique experience? I'm just here for my stuff please, thank you! I get it from a retail point of view, stay longer, buy more etc but still..."
Well, it's a store in a tourist hotspot.
"(I hope the spelling mistake will be corrected!)."
EN-US, probably.
@mediAFOL said:
"It's not a spelling mistake."
Then how come every kid, in every school in England, would get a big X next to it, if they spelt it that way ?
@CCC said:
" @DearMisterLegoBreaker said:
"Too bad it is such a pain to visit London now if you are from EU :("
It's very expensive to visit if you live outside of the London Underground system. Train or drive to London ... either way, its a slow journey that will cost a small fortune right now."
It's not so bad from Birmingham as we have effectively 3 routes by train to cover the around 100 miles, so therefore we get competitive pricing on those routes. I have literally done the journey for a fiver.
If it is still expensive from where you live try a National Express coach. Should that still be too much of a hefty fare, then try Mega Bus. We do have so many options here in the UK to get about.