YES! YES! YES! This new addition to Oak Park Mall opened mid-May and is ready for business. As the parent of a soon-to-be 5 year old, Legos play a big role in both of our lives. I'll admit that I've never really given up on my love for them over the past 30 years, and have pushed them pretty hard on my son, luckily he hasn't resisted too strongly. This store is a Lego fans dream come true. Every set in current release is available in the store, along with some very fun surprises. They have a Build Your Own Mini-Fig station in the middle, where you can choose from a great selection of faces, bodies, legs, headwear, and accessory to build your own guy. You make 3 for $9.99, with it's own clamshell package, so not bad at all. That may be what surprised me the most, the fact that all of the kits were available at the same price as the big box retailers in town. I would have expected to pay more, but that wasn't the case. Of course, The Lego Store gets their kits first, so some of the new releases will be here before Target/Wal-Mart, which is a plus.
Perhaps the best thing of all is the random piece wall in the back. They have a huge selection of individual pieces available for purchase by the cup load. There are two sizes of cups, small: $7.99, and Large: $14.99. Let me tell you, these cups hold a lot of pieces, and you really do get a pretty good bang for the buck. This is a great way to beef up your collection without buying all of the kits.
Insider Tips: I spoke with the staff a bit, and the random bit wall is constantly updated as they turn through inventory, so there will almost always be fresh bits to be had. The Mini-Fig section turns over once a quarter with new themes as well. And finally, the first Tuesday of every month is a special event at the store. They have a mini-kit available for 6-12 year olds where they build a small kit, and then get to take it home. June's was a pretty nifty little lawn mower. This event starts at 5:00pm and is a While Supplies Last. One staffer told me they get about 200 kits, but they don't last the whole night, so it's best to come early.
All in all, I couldn't be more thrilled for this addition to the Mall, and look forward to dozens of more trips. read more