Lego Out Loud! It's A New Certified Store!

So the Saturday that just past was probably one of the more exciting ones my husband has had the whole year.

Why you ask? Because LEGO has finally opened its first certified store in Singapore! Needless to say when we got an invite to the occasion, the husband said yes immediately. Even when I pointed out that we had to arrive before 9am. And guess what, for the first time in, hmm, as long as I can remember, I woke up on Saturday morning and found my husband already awake, and cheerful too! That's the power of LEGO!

We managed to rock up nice and early to the LEGO store at level 3 of Suntec City, Tower 3 (#03-364/365) for a piece of the action. Upon arriving, the kids immediately made a beeline for the LEGO play area. Ok, maybe someone was more interested in the cupcakes.

Then again, who needs to build when you've got Daddy, right?

We were welcomed to the event by Mr George Papasolomontos, the managing director of Bricks World as well as Ms Dan Luo, the managing director of LEGO Singapore. We were then issued a very special challenge by Ms Luo: to build a duck from a packet of 6 LEGO bricks of our own design. We did, and when we held them up for comparison, I started smiling because so many of the ducks were different, yet ducks they still were, each a creation of a different imagination. That is the beauty of LEGO, isn't it? There isn't a right or wrong answer, just a different solutions to the same problem, and it's fun too. 

Her Excellency, Berit Basse, Ambassador of Denmark to Singapore arrived and conducted the official ribbon cutting ceremony. And with that, Singapore's first LEGO certified store is open! 

If you're wondering what a LEGO certified store is and how it's different from the LEGO stores we already have around the island, here's what it is (and isn't):

• The LEGO certified store is NOT owned by the LEGO group or LEGO SIngapore. This Singapore store is managed and operated by Bricks World.
• The LEGO certified store is however designed by the LEGO Group and adheres to all the store fit-out and experience guidelines laid down by the LEGO Group. This includes furniture and fixtures specially designed by the LEGO Group.
• What is most significant about having a LEGO certified store is its unique features, namely:
• The Pick-A-Brick Wall, a section where you can buy loose LEGO elements by the cup from clear plastic canisters -- a LEGO fan's dream! In Singapore, the small cup is $19.90 and the big cup $34.90.
• Access to exclusive LEGO sets, which will be made available here in Singapore (from January 2015), at the same time they are released in the US and Europe.
  (Obviously these two features are the most important to my husband!)
• Fully assembled LEGO sets around the circumference of the store to inspire children and LEGO fans
• An interactive play area -- "The Living Room" -- to give children a hands-on experience with LEGO bricks.

After the ceremony, we were invited in to have first pick at the Pick-A-Brick wall, to the delight of the kids. We also oohed and ahhed around, and got first sight of the highly exclusive LEGO Brand Retail Store (#3300003) set, which is not for sale, but is given away at new store openings to a limited number of customers. Here in Singapore, it was the first 50 customers. It was for this and the special offer of 50 sets of the LEGO DC Comics Batman ™: Akham Asylum Breakout for $199.90 (U.P. $299.90) that LEGO fans had been queuing for! When we arrived at 9am, there was already a looong line! I wonder what time they came! The husband was a bit regretful that he was not able to make any purchases but I guess it was only fair to those who had been waiting patiently.

 

Something tells me we're going to be spending a lot more time at Suntec City from now on!