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! As it is, the Grand Emporium looks like it has great detail on the ground floor, and less detailed upper floors, and that's quite fine with me! :thumbup:

I fully agree to that. In my case, I have plenty of stuff to put in there anyway.

Second floor is probably going to be the content of the Winter Toy shop, as I plan to keep this one for the Christmas seasons.

Third floor I am thinking of a BBQ shop, since I have so many BBQ's by now, it's time to line them up.

Can't wait to see Grand Emporium in the shop....hope it'll be soon to see the release.

Henri

:tongue:

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I just had another look at the high-res pics of the Grand Emporium that are currently available, and it looks like on the brick-built "SHOP" sign, the top tiles on the 'S', 'O' and 'P' are a single 3 length tile piece. Is it just me, or is that a new piece? I always thought they only came in 1x1, 1x2 or 1x4, etc.

Would love a second opinion on this...

They are the 1x3 tiles and are a new(er) piece. They haven't been in many sets and are only available in a few colors so far.

http://www.bricklink.com/catalogItem.asp?P=63864

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They are the 1x3 tiles and are a new(er) piece. They haven't been in many sets and are only available in a few colors so far.

Yellow 1x3s are also used on the sign on top of the building. Notice that the mouth of the minifig head on the sign is not a 1x3 tile though, so it's not available in black yet.

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Although it isn't the right topic to ask, but can you tell us if there are other Exclusive sets (besides the Grand Emporium) in the planning?

Now come on, people!

We all appreciate Jamie posting here, but please use your head, before asking stuff like that! :hmpf:

How likely will it be Mr. Berard is going to tell any secrets about upcoming sets here in the internet?

Right.

So please stop overstretching this issue.

Thank you very much. :classic:

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Now come on, people!

We all appreciate Jamie posting here, but please use your head, before asking stuff like that! :hmpf:

How likely will it be Mr. Berard is going to tell any secrets about upcoming sets here in the internet?

Right.

So please stop overstretching this issue.

Thank you very much. :classic:

Now you come on. :hmpf_bad: I didn't ask for anything specific, now do I? I'm just wondering if we can expect more Exclusive sets. Not what kind of sets. I know he can't answer questions which go in to anything specific, but it just got my attention that a lot of exclusives are being discontinued. Please read and quote my complete comment if you want to reply.

I won't overstretch the topic any further, let's get back to the subject at hand, Grand Emporium. One that will most certain be in my collection as soon as I'm able to order it from S@H.

I like the idea by the way to use the interior from the winter toy shop! I just put it completely away with the rest of the christmas stuff, but in March I too will use some elements in the GE :wink:

Edited by astra

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I'm just wondering if we can expect more Exclusive sets.

TLG have already "sort of" commented on that, and it's also quite obvious, isn't it? As long as the Exclusives are proving popular and selling well, there will be more of those. The Winter Toy Store and Imperial Flagship sets are sufficient proof of that, if you ask me... Besides, it's only natural that the plug on the Eiffel Tower and the VW Beetle is eventually pulled - they've both had lengthy runs (especially the Tower!) and neither was meant to be a bestseller in the first place. Doc wasn't acting mean, but he's right, just because Mr. Berard is taking the time to respond to our queries, doesn't mean we should flood him with all kinds of (useless) questions :wink:

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TLG have already "sort of" commented on that, and it's also quite obvious, isn't it? As long as the Exclusives are proving popular and selling well, there will be more of those. The Winter Toy Store and Imperial Flagship sets are sufficient proof of that, if you ask me... Besides, it's only natural that the plug on the Eiffel Tower and the VW Beetle is eventually pulled - they've both had lengthy runs (especially the Tower!) and neither was meant to be a bestseller in the first place. Doc wasn't acting mean, but he's right, just because Mr. Berard is taking the time to respond to our queries, doesn't mean we should flood him with all kinds of (useless) questions :wink:

Same feeling here. I think it is great to have Jamie here, which means he recognises

our compliments and feelings towards his creations. No doubt however that people

would like to 'tease' him with certain questions about the upcoming future and models,

but he already expressed the TLC's policy.

Kind of 'been there, done that'.

I only like to express my wish to have Jamie here around some more. just for the fun of it,

like we have with so many other members! :classic:

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Well sorry if everyone's falling over my question. It was just pure curiosity. Yes I know that Jamie (or one of his colleagues) can't give any details, I'm not asking now am I? What's wrong with being curious?

I just struck my attention for so many Exclusives being discontinued and that got me wondering a bit. Is that so strange? I too agree that Eiffel Tower and the Beetle have been a long time for sale, no surprise there that they would be discontinued sometime, but hey, no harm in asking about a line of models without asking for details I thought. Guess nobody agrees with me on that part. Anyway it wasn't mend to be 'been there, done that' question. I must admit that I forgot about the Imperial Flagship as a part of the Exclusive line, Pirates aren't really my 'thing' :classic:

Let's stick to the topic now ok? I won't be commenting any further about this, although I thought reactions on this (by the way, fun to read) forum where a bit more mature.

my sincere apologies to those who's feeling offended about this question... :sadnew:

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Jamie: thank you again for visiting EB and answering questions about this fantastic set. I have a few myself:

1) Where do you and the other LEGO designers draw your inspiration for creating modulars like this? Do you collect a large number of images of real-life buildings and scale down? or is it more of a trial & error type of building style taking many different architectural components and pieceing them together?

2) Why a department store or "shop"? Is it simply because LEGO had not offered one before? When the Fire Brigade was created, had this 4th creation already been in the planning or did it come much later?

3) I know you probably can't answer this (and it has been asked a bit differently above), but many can't help to notice that this caps off the Modular street (like the opposite end of Cafe Corner). Is there still hope for a future modular building after this set if sales are good? or was the corner build sort of an intentional end to the four sets?

Of the three existing modulars, I really like the style of the Fire Brigade, although they've all been superb sets with unique attributes. I must say that I'm really looking forward to adding this to the end of the street with its color palette and terrific design. Love the yellow SHOP sign! :thumbup:

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With this set comming I was thinking ....will it be able to be MOD'ed or not ?

So here is a photo I just found well detailed I believe it's from the 1950's.

147898_Large.jpg

Ideas anyone ?

I'm a conformist! !

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So cool to have the designer replying to this thread - I hope more Lego designers are able to do this in the future.

I haven't bought any of the previous modulars, as my budget just doesn't allow for it, and Town is not my main Lego focus - but I'm seriously considering this one (maybe a department store was picked partly to appeal to FFOLS more than, say, the fire station? I feel like such a stereotype :wink: ).

I don't think having a second corner building spells the end of this line - after all, they could end up producing an entire block, perhaps with a garden in the middle :wub:

I too agree with whoever said that the toys from the Winter Toyshop would fit in well - I plan to use this idea too :thumbup:

Might have to mod this so that there are two escalators per floor (up and down!) - or else find a way to install a lift. I can't wait for the first review of this set - I'm dying to see what the other two interiors are like!

Edited by Princess Storm

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I can't wait for the first review of this set - I'm dying to see what the other two interiors are like!

I'm 'afraid' the other two floors will follow the 'Green Grocer' recipe, i.e. relatively bare interior, but what's in there is pretty well designed. For example, GG had a nice grandfather's clock and a radiator. I'd prefer fully furnished buildings, but that would likely drive the price up a lot, as a lot of different/specialized elements would be required.

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Hi Merman,

I'm not sure I fully understand your third question. Yes I can confirm that the modular buildings often utilize several pieces which you would be less likely to see in a standard retail set. We intentionally add these rare and often expensive elements because we know they mean a lot to our adult consumer.

First of all let me thank you for taking the time and the effort to answer my questions! I really appreciate it.

Now about my third question. I have a feeling the more different parts there are in a set the more expensive it is to produce a set. Very often this is solved by using elements that are already in the set so not another new part has to be added. A good example is adding a red bricks somewhere inside a yellow model where it is not visible just because somewhere in the model there is another of such a red brick that is visible. Another good example is Technic set 8292. At a certain stage you have to use a 2 x 4 yellow plate. This plate is replaced by two 1 x 4 yellow plates because these are also used somewhere else in the model (the cabin I think). This helps prevent Lego has to use a 'new' part (the ony place where a 2 x 4 plate is necessary) and sorting is easier and cheaper because the two 1 x 4 plates where in the design already anyway.

See my point? I have a feeling with the Exclusives this is less an issue and you are allowed to include any element you wish, even if there is only one of it necessary...

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I'm 'afraid' the other two floors will follow the 'Green Grocer' recipe, i.e. relatively bare interior, but what's in there is pretty well designed. For example, GG had a nice grandfather's clock and a radiator. I'd prefer fully furnished buildings, but that would likely drive the price up a lot, as a lot of different/specialized elements would be required.

That's why I post that picture a few posts up of the interior of a shop from about the same era to spark ideas in your minds to deck out the other two floors. And that maybe what Jamie wants us to do, it's those sparks of creativity that drives Lego on to build bigger and better sets for us !

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Jamie: thank you again for visiting EB and answering questions about this fantastic set. I have a few myself:

1) Where do you and the other LEGO designers draw your inspiration for creating modulars like this? Do you collect a large number of images of real-life buildings and scale down? or is it more of a trial & error type of building style taking many different architectural components and pieceing them together?

2) Why a department store or "shop"? Is it simply because LEGO had not offered one before? When the Fire Brigade was created, had this 4th creation already been in the planning or did it come much later?

3) I know you probably can't answer this (and it has been asked a bit differently above), but many can't help to notice that this caps off the Modular street (like the opposite end of Cafe Corner). Is there still hope for a future modular building after this set if sales are good? or was the corner build sort of an intentional end to the four sets?

Of the three existing modulars, I really like the style of the Fire Brigade, although they've all been superb sets with unique attributes. I must say that I'm really looking forward to adding this to the end of the street with its color palette and terrific design. Love the yellow SHOP sign! :thumbup:

Hi Brickster,

We are quite lucky to have many good resources within our team to draw inspiration from. However, I often find the best ideas come when we step out of the office and see the world outside of Billund. Inspiration is all around us. Many times when I'm traveling, I often find myself taking pictures of beautiful old buildings and marvelous details. There's loads of potential out there. Inevitably, I find myself looking at the world through LEGO lenses. Some days I just can't wait to get back to work so that I can try and recreate with LEGO something that I had just seen.

The Cafe Corner was actually just an idea I had floating around in my head. It just kinda developed as the bricks fell into place. The Green Grocer is loosely based on a cross between pictures of San Fransisco houses and an interesting building I found in the downtown part of Kolding, Denmark. The Fire Brigade is an amalgamation of several references I found on the internet. Eric Brok told me Market Street was based on houses he had seen back in the Netherlands.

The Green Grocer and Fire Brigade are the only two modular buildings currently being offered by Shop@Home. I cannot comment on the future of the line beyond that.

First of all let me thank you for taking the time and the effort to answer my questions! I really appreciate it.

Now about my third question. I have a feeling the more different parts there are in a set the more expensive it is to produce a set. Very often this is solved by using elements that are already in the set so not another new part has to be added. A good example is adding a red bricks somewhere inside a yellow model where it is not visible just because somewhere in the model there is another of such a red brick that is visible. Another good example is Technic set 8292. At a certain stage you have to use a 2 x 4 yellow plate. This plate is replaced by two 1 x 4 yellow plates because these are also used somewhere else in the model (the cabin I think). This helps prevent Lego has to use a 'new' part (the ony place where a 2 x 4 plate is necessary) and sorting is easier and cheaper because the two 1 x 4 plates where in the design already anyway.

See my point? I have a feeling with the Exclusives this is less an issue and you are allowed to include any element you wish, even if there is only one of it necessary...

Hi Merman,

The exclusives are held to the same standards as our other product ranges, however you bring up an interesting point about element usage. Yes, we do always try to limit the variety of bricks/elements in any given model. We especially try include mutiples of each element & avoid pieces in the same color that look similar to one another. This helps reduce the search time for bricks and improves the chances that the model gets built correctly which also reduces our consumer services calls and improves the overall building experience.

That having been said, yes there are certain elements in any model that really help 'sell' the model. Even in a lower price point set, we often include single valuable pieces like a food item, unique minifigure, an iconic accessory or an animal which we know will act as a story-starter and excite the child's imagination. The advantage of the exclusives range is that we can better choose those unique elements to cater to a more mature or nostalgic consumer. Perhaps a female minifigure hair piece is not so exciting for a young boy, but is very valuable to an adult. Another difference with the Direct models is that we often are at a high enough price point to afford putting in multiples of those elements you normally would see sparingly in other sets.

-----------------------------------------------------------

As much as I've enjoyed answering many of these questions over the past week, I'm unfortunately going to have to reduce my participation in these forums. We're in the thick of our super-busy season at work, so I'll likely have just enough time to check in every so often, but not really have much time to comment.

Definitely feel free to contact your ambassadors when needed :)

Cheers!

jamie

Edited by jamieberard

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As much as I've enjoyed answering many of these questions over the past week, I'm unfortunately going to have to reduce my participation in these forums. We're in the thick of our super-busy season at work, so I'll likely have just enough time to check in every so often, but not really have much time to comment.

Thanks for the insights you've given us over the past week. Just make sure you stay in touch, even if it's just by quickly checking the forum a few times a week. Looking forward to the fruits (sets!) of your hard labor. Now go design some more great Modulars and other Exclusives! :grin::wink:

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HOT NEWS: the first sets of GRAND EMPORIUM 10211 have been spotted in a LEGO STORE.

Wow! :oh: Cafe Corner and Market Street are still available?

:grin:

Great teaser Henri! It looks very realistic. :thumbup:

Is that's the owner there or an AFOL who can't decide what to get? :tongue:

Edited by Zorbas

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Nice shelf design (and box printing of course). Have you built a Lego Store to go with it?

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is that official pics of the shelf or is that you mod of it

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All,

The picture is made in a lego shop on the ground floor of a larger building I purchased at "lego World" this year in Zwolle from the people from Lego Shop Oberhaussen. Next to lego shop is a starbucks and on upper floors are nightclub and photostudio and a roof-terras.

The lego shop originally had shelfs with multiple coloured boxes with various stickers etc.

I found it more realistic to make the boxes as can be seen on my picture. Actually the picture came out realy nice, even better than when you look at it in reality.....

The guy on the picture is the shop owner, just finished stacking those boxes of 10211 on the top shelf when we hears some people coming in the shop.

I also have picture of a man and his son (me and my son?) buying Grand Emporium and VW-beatle. (still hoping that that is what future will bring....)

I seem to have a limit of 100KByte here, so can't upload more pix here. I am working on a gallery at flickr, or if some of you can help me out where to upload my megabytes I would like to hear.

Carpe Lego....pick the bricks.

Henri

is that official pics of the shelf or is that you mod of it

Daniel,

This is a picture of my own LegoShop@home :-)

It is NOT a picture of any contents inside 10211.

Henri

Nice shelf design (and box printing of course). Have you built a Lego Store to go with it?

Rick,

yes, It's the boxes-shelf inside my lego-shop. The shop also has a counter, a pick a brick wall and some display stands.

I am working on the uploading of pictures, just need a place for them to go.

Henri

Mwahahaha! Cool!

I was really expecting something else, you really nailed me here! :tongue:

Jasper,

That was part of the plan, so I succeeded.

I see we live pretty close to each other. I live in Veldhoven, Netherlands.

Perhaps we can meet some day, I would realy love to see your creations in reality.

Henri

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Hello here the hotnews from 2010 march

All,

HOT NEWS: the first sets of GRAND EMPORIUM 10211 have been spotted in a LEGO STORE.

See picture below on the corner shelf.

I am still struggling with uploading pix to flickr, will let you know when ready.

Henri

!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! omg!

That's incredible. I've been plotting a minifig scale LEGO store for a few weeks now and never took the initiative to break ground with the idea. After seeing your teaser photo I decided to go ahead and begin construction! Thanks for the inspiration. :classic:

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!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! omg!

That's incredible. I've been plotting a minifig scale LEGO store for a few weeks now and never took the initiative to break ground with the idea. After seeing your teaser photo I decided to go ahead and begin construction! Thanks for the inspiration. :classic:

Hello all,

Here's a link to some more pictures of the Lego Shop and the rest of the building.

The building was made by people from Lego Shop in Oberhausen and I was lucky enough to buy it at the closing of Lego-World 2009 in Zwolle (Netherlands).

So, all credits for the building and most of the interior go to the people in Oberhausen. I am just proud to own it and want to share it with you all.

Let me know how you like it.

http://www.flickr.com/photos/46889328@N07/...57623288216492/

Carpe Lego....

Henri

Edited by Henri

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