LegoDad42 Posted June 30, 2010 Posted June 30, 2010 YES...finally NYC has it's own flagship LEGO Store at Rockefeller Center in the heart of Manhattan. A great location accross from the ice-skating rink and adorned by all the nations flags and accented by a long row of fountains. Tremendous spot for a great store! ***CHECK OUT THE FLICR' LINK FOR OVER 130 FUN PICS!.... LEGO Rockefeller GRAND OPENING NYC! Got to the 8am opening...line was about 100 people deep when I got there but moved very quickly(only waited about a half hour to get in). Up and down the line were LEGO volunteers handing out LEGO Club magazines/comics and signing up people for the VIP cards on the spot. You also got a VIP business card to go online to take a survey and you'd get an additional 10 points added to your VIP Points. Once inside you see beautiful sculptures and mosaics to die for It's a split-level store, first floor has the most impressive Pick A Brick you'll ever see! From one of the workers there, they said it's the largest Pick A Brick Wall in any of the LEGO Stores. It is a sight! The second level is like a loft area with another impressive model of Rockefeller Center with all kinds of mini-figs (even Darth Vader) running around Manhattan (see my link for all the fun pics). Now outside, great fun was to be had. You have about a couple dozen tables set up in two areas around the Master Builders (who are working on a 15' LEGO Big Apple accross from the ice-rink, using about a 4' scale model of the Big Apple as a guide). The first area you're given a standard green base plate (the large one), you find a clear working area on one of the tables (which was filled with trays of just green 2x4 bricks...and constantly replenished) and you can go to town on anything you can think of. Then once you're done, LEGO Volunteers incorporate your model into a large LEGO Topiary surrounding the fountains in the plaza. It was a sight to see so many kids with there parents building all kinds of creations. One that stood out to me was a Twin Towers model done by a father and son. Now then once you got done with that, you could move onto another set of tables under tents to help the Master Builders build large brick sections for the LEGO Big Apple. Same kinda' set up...no baseplate but you get a work space and trays and trays of red 2x4 bricks, 1x8's and 2x8's and a single page of instructions to follow and build as many of these large red blocks as you like. They have volunteers again to double check your work to see if you followed the instructions and then you can bring you blocks over to the Master Builders to incorporate into the large model. A FANTASTIC day! Thanks to 'notenoughbricks' Brian (President of the LongIslandLUGs) for hanging out with me and kid for like 6 hours...we loaded up on Pick A Bricks, snagged 10 mini-figs (got lucky with these...8 unique and only 2 duplicates...2xNinja, 2xCaveman, Robin Hood, Spaceman, Clown, Skater Boy, Wrestler, and Crash Test Dummy), got an exclusive T-Shirt and 2 Rockefeller LEGO Duplo blocks(when you spend over $35.00us), talked models, MoC's, building LEGO topiary, building Big Apple blocks and even took a break for lunch...just a great time with 'notenoughbricks'!Thanks so much man! Do yourselves a favor if you're in the NYC area and head on down there! Two more days (June 30th and July 1st) and get in on the builds and exclusive stuff from the store. You and your kids will love it! LEGO ROCK! Quote
Belchher Posted June 30, 2010 Posted June 30, 2010 Looks amazing, good to hear you had such a nice ( and long! ) day. Now if only TLG would open some Lego stores south of the equator. Quote
Marckeyh Posted June 30, 2010 Posted June 30, 2010 Awesome! Wish I was there!!! That PAB wall is gigantic. Quote
DLuders Posted June 30, 2010 Posted June 30, 2010 Now if only TLG would open some Lego stores south of the equator. Yes, AFOLs next want South Bronx New South Wales! Quote
jerba Posted June 30, 2010 Posted June 30, 2010 Thanks for posting the pics! The sculpture is superb and the PAB wall looks divine! I can't to make it up there sometime in the next few months. Its about time NYC got a LEGO store it deserves. I have 4 within an hour drive so I can't complain, but I am excited to visit the NYC store and see the great creations LEGO has concocted. Hope to see you at Brickfair! Quote
-R8- Posted July 3, 2010 Posted July 3, 2010 Thanks a ton for the great pictures again, LegoDad42. My mind was blown away at all the in-store displays - truly a magnificent sight! The interior design of the store is phenomenal, and that Pick a Brick wall is indeed a force to be reckoned with. And finally a store that actually has the collectable minifigs in stock Grand opening sounded like a blast. The LEGO Topiary is filled with amazing models and building the giant apple must have been a fun experience. Can't wait to go there myself! Quote
Ricecracker Posted July 3, 2010 Posted July 3, 2010 I went there twice yesterday, and it was great fun! I got there between 8 and 9, and surprisingly there wasn't much of a line. The exclusive set is nice, though I haven't opened it up yet. I had had to be in the Bronx by 10:15, so I didn't stay for long... Honestly, the PaB wall doesn't seem much bigger than PaB walls at other stores (though I have only been to two other stores), and sets are priced above MSRP, though definitely below TRU at Times Square . I went back later in the day around 2:45 and built a bit with the green bricks with my family, and watched them put the finishing touches on the giant Apple. They closed at 3, so I left shortly after. And finally a store that actually has the collectable minifigs in stock Nope, they're already out of stock . Quote
LegoDad42 Posted July 3, 2010 Author Posted July 3, 2010 (edited) Thanks a ton for the great pictures again, LegoDad42. My mind was blown away at all the in-store displays - truly a magnificent sight! The interior design of the store is phenomenal, and that Pick a Brick wall is indeed a force to be reckoned with. And finally a store that actually has the collectable minifigs in stock Grand opening sounded like a blast. The LEGO Topiary is filled with amazing models and building the giant apple must have been a fun experience. Can't wait to go there myself! My pleasure R8! It was a fun time. Had a convention-like feel that opening day. I'm headed to the R2D2 build for the Queens Store Grand Opening next weekend. It's not outdoors but it should be a great time. See if you can make it to that one. Edited July 3, 2010 by LegoDad42 Quote
Legononymous Posted July 3, 2010 Posted July 3, 2010 I'm envious! The closest store to me is about three hours away Not close enough to be convenient. Do they have the exact same stuff on the LEGO s@h website that they have at a LEGO store pick a brick wall? Quote
vexorian Posted July 4, 2010 Posted July 4, 2010 I'm envious! The closest store to me is about three hours away Not close enough to be convenient. Do they have the exact same stuff on the LEGO s@h website that they have at a LEGO store pick a brick wall? lol in my case The closest LEGO store is possibly 4767 kilometers away. I wouldn't mind traveling for three hours :). Quote
LegoDad42 Posted July 4, 2010 Author Posted July 4, 2010 I'm envious! The closest store to me is about three hours away Not close enough to be convenient. Do they have the exact same stuff on the LEGO s@h website that they have at a LEGO store pick a brick wall? Even though the Rockefeller shop has a huge Pick A Brick Wall. I believe it doesn't have the entire stock you'd see online at LEGO S@H. But, there's just something about being at the store, picking bricks off the PaB Wall and being about to check out the models in person. Also cool about these shops is that there's this screen, where you hold up any LEGO box, face front to the screen and then tilt the box and you see the model fully built (holographically) on top of the box your holding and it has animation. Little mini-figs running around and doing task. The funniest one is a City set which has the city lamp post repair truck. The little minifig goes up to change the light and the light falls and crashes and he has to go back and get another one. Just too funny and a lot of fun to see these little minifigs running around the actually box you're holding. I know...I geek out on this stuff... Quote
Legononymous Posted July 4, 2010 Posted July 4, 2010 Same here! I'm really enjoying my adventure into LEGO. I really enjoy the silly world I create with them. I can't wait to visit the LEGO store though. A three hour trip turns into a six hour trip when you factor in the ride home. Still better then nothing though. I might head there on a Friday and come back on a Saturday. Better start saving up money now. Quote
Eskallon Posted July 4, 2010 Posted July 4, 2010 It looked fun, glad you enjoyed it, and that is an amazing PAB. Quote
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