Modular building question...

[Joe90]

After researching the modular building series i purchased the GE and i love it ...now question is i would like to build and have a modular city BUT the market street and cafe corner are not available except at prices i cannot afford...i have got hold of the instructions for both sets and was wondering if its worth buying the individual pieces on bricklink?

Has anyone else done this?

With Thanks

Adam

[Etzel]

After researching the modular building series i purchased the GE and i love it ...now question is i would like to build and have a modular city BUT the market street and cafe corner are not available except at prices i cannot afford...i have got hold of the instructions for both sets and was wondering if its worth buying the individual pieces on bricklink?

Has anyone else done this?

With Thanks

Adam

I know of several persons who have done that, and it is usually cheaper. But it requires a lot of work and some pieces are very rare and expensive once they are out on the market (like the 1x8 dark blue arches in Market Street). An alternative can be to buy the rare parts in a different colour, then you can save a lot of money and also get your own unique style of the street.

[Zeya]

Bad news, Joe90, but there's a third one as well. Besides Cafe Corner and Market Street, there is also Green Grocer, which was the most recent one to disappear from shelves. Fire Brigade might very soon be going away as well, and you would be well advised to get it now, if you can. I think I saw Grand Emporium in a Lego catalog recently, so maybe that will be around for a little while longer as well.

You should have plenty of time to save up for Pet Shop, which just launched in the middle of 2011. A Town Hall set will be coming out very soon (Feb 1st I think).

Welcome to the empty wallet club.

[fyrmedhatt]

I've done this for both the Cafe Corner and the Market Street, and beware that cost is still pretty high for both as they contain rare expensive pieces. I'd estimate I spent between $300-500 for each while trying to replicate them as faithfully as possible.

Here are a couple of threads where many members have described their experiences of doing this in more detail:

Cafe Corner

Market Street

[Redhead1982]

Same here, I built both Market Street and Caffe Corner from Bricklink (price range 300 EUR approximately). The problem as mentioned are some rare bricks. I was collecting the right bricks for these buildings over a year, and I was lucky enough to get dark blue arch for CC, but not MS. The thing is, my MS is not straight from the booklet. Makes no sense buying a single brick for 20 eur or more. I had to change from 1x4 darkblue bricks to 1x2 and 1x10 due to their price, and used tan brick arches. I'm still missing one door and some rubber black hose. It's worth a try collecting the bricks for both models. If you decided it's not worth it in the end, you can still use the bricks for your own modular, so I'd say just go for it. Use of alternative colours is also a wise choice.

[Vindicare]

Bad news, Joe90, but there's a third one as well. Besides Cafe Corner and Market Street, there is also Green Grocer, which was the most recent one to disappear from shelves. Fire Brigade might very soon be going away as well, and you would be well advised to get it now, if you can. I think I saw Grand Emporium in a Lego catalog recently, so maybe that will be around for a little while longer as well.

You should have plenty of time to save up for Pet Shop, which just launched in the middle of 2011. A Town Hall set will be coming out very soon (Feb 1st I think).

Welcome to the empty wallet club.

Seriously! The Town Hall is definitely going to put a hurting on the ol' billfold...but it is oh so worth it. I have all the Modulars and LOVE them.

Edited January 18, 2012 by Legocrazy81

[Deefuzz]

I've just completely given up on owning Market Street, Cafe Corner, or Green Grocer. I've been aware of the modulars since Cafe Corner, but kept passing on them because of their price. I've decided to stop doing that now and just join the big boy club and purchased the Fire Brigade. Never will pass on a modular again after seeing how high those prices skyrocket after they disappear.

I'll get the VIP mini set of the modulars to have a more "complete" set, but I will always have regret passing on Cafe Corner and Green Grocer :(

[Stefano]

i know your feeling, i missed out on Cafe Corner and Market Street, and i once found a Cafe Corner for 250 euro's and was happy to pay it but then the seller said he only wanted to ship it with the mail, and that is something i DON'T do i its more than 50 euro's. and i might one day buy Cafe Corner with bricks but its not the ''Real'' thing for me then, so im stuck with not getting it or with building it from loose bricks...

[mrklaw]

I just did that today for cafe corner. First time brick linker, so I'm sure I did something wrong. And I was relying on rebrickable to generate me a delta parts list of what I need Vs what I already have. Cost about 300 euro, and I'll use the instructions from lego.com pdfs on an iPad which is a good substitute for a printed manual.

I had to use some alternative pieces - e.g. light gray panels as nobody had white ones. I also bought 10x 4 stud wide white panels, just in case they are usable too. And inverted tan slopes - I bought light gray ones with no connectors, and tan ones *with* connectors. No idea if it makes a difference, so I'm covered either way. And the door is very expensive - around 30 euro. So I substituted with a slightly different one of the same size.

This is a bit crazy really. Ended up with about ten separate orders, about 1000 bricks. Should have started simpler to try things out. Plus I've not even built any of the current modular sets yet, so should probably have started with the GE or FB. Oh well :P

[gotoAndLego]

It can be done inexpeonsively if you use alternate clors.P

Edited January 19, 2012 by gotoAndLego

[SeanM]

I'd like to see pictures of "bricklinked" green grocers and corner cafes!

[DaddyWhale]

I just did that today for cafe corner. First time brick linker, so I'm sure I did something wrong. And I was relying on rebrickable to generate me a delta parts list of what I need Vs what I already have. Cost about 300 euro, and I'll use the instructions from lego.com pdfs on an iPad which is a good substitute for a printed manual.

I had to use some alternative pieces - e.g. light gray panels as nobody had white ones. I also bought 10x 4 stud wide white panels, just in case they are usable too. And inverted tan slopes - I bought light gray ones with no connectors, and tan ones *with* connectors. No idea if it makes a difference, so I'm covered either way. And the door is very expensive - around 30 euro. So I substituted with a slightly different one of the same size.

This is a bit crazy really. Ended up with about ten separate orders, about 1000 bricks. Should have started simpler to try things out. Plus I've not even built any of the current modular sets yet, so should probably have started with the GE or FB. Oh well :P

I recently bought a Cafe Corner with the white 1x2x3 panels missing (I bought knowing this). I completely agree that it's hard to find these exact panels in quantity at a reasonable price on bricklink. But I noticed that this part is also in Pet Shop. So giving it a shot I went to LEGO online pick a brick to look for it. LEGO has it in stock for 20 cents (US) each. Bought 20 of them.

So, my suggestion would be, if you can't find a piece on BL, see if it's in some current set (you can do this in BL). If so, you might be able to get it on pick a brick.

Hope this helps someone.

[AndyC]

I recently bought a Cafe Corner with the white 1x2x3 panels missing (I bought knowing this). I completely agree that it's hard to find these exact panels in quantity at a reasonable price on bricklink. But I noticed that this part is also in Pet Shop. So giving it a shot I went to LEGO online pick a brick to look for it. LEGO has it in stock for 20 cents (US) each. Bought 20 of them.

There's actually a very subtle difference. The new part has small supporting walls at the edges to make the piece stronger, so when used as in Cafe Corner you'll find the windows look slightly smaller with a slightly thicker border. I'm not sure how much that'll make the design look 'off', but I'd be interested to see pictures once you've built it.

[mrklaw]

thanks, will take a look.

How do those 1x2x3 white panels fit in the model? I ordered two alternatives:

1) light grey 1x2x3 so I have the wrong colour but the right size

2) white 1x4x3 so I have the right colour but too wide.

If they're used for internal walls then the wider pieces might be ok, or if they're used side on for window frames the larger pieces might still be ok, providing I don't mind sacrificing the internal space (which is unfurnished in CC anyway)

edit: this piece? - element ID: 4585448, design ID: 87544. 13p at pick a brick, will try that as a backup :)

Edited January 19, 2012 by mrklaw

[AndyC]

If they're used for internal walls then the wider pieces might be ok, or if they're used side on for window frames the larger pieces might still be ok, providing I don't mind sacrificing the internal space (which is unfurnished in CC anyway)

They're side on to create the windows. The 4 wide pieces might do the trick, the only bit I'm not sure about is whether there is enough space behind the diagonal window once you have the others in place. Still worth a try if you aren't fussed about compromising the internal design.

[DaddyWhale]

There's actually a very subtle difference. The new part has small supporting walls at the edges to make the piece stronger, so when used as in Cafe Corner you'll find the windows look slightly smaller with a slightly thicker border. I'm not sure how much that'll make the design look 'off', but I'd be interested to see pictures once you've built it.

That's interesting! According to bricklink, this part is exactly the same in Pet Shop: 2362b, White Panel 1 x 2 x 3 - Hollow Studs. I'll let you know if it comes with the supporting walls!

thanks, will take a look.

How do those 1x2x3 white panels fit in the model? I ordered two alternatives:

1) light grey 1x2x3 so I have the wrong colour but the right size

2) white 1x4x3 so I have the right colour but too wide.

If they're used for internal walls then the wider pieces might be ok, or if they're used side on for window frames the larger pieces might still be ok, providing I don't mind sacrificing the internal space (which is unfurnished in CC anyway)

edit: this piece? - element ID: 4585448, design ID: 87544. 13p at pick a brick, will try that as a backup :)

Yes! That's the part I ordered from PaB.

With respect to the 1x4x3 you bought. As already mentioned, they are used as window frames. If this is not sacrilege, you might consider sawing them in half?

Edited January 19, 2012 by DaddyWhale

[AndyC]

That may be down to the way TLG stealth introduced them, as they consider the parts effectively interchangable. Just to highlight the difference, here's a quick image courtesy of LDD:

The red is the old part (2362) and the blue the new one (87544). I've also put a couple next to each other to give an impression of what the window will look like.

Edited January 19, 2012 by AndyC

[DaddyWhale]

That may be down to the way TLG stealth introduced them, as they consider the parts effectively interchangable. Just to highlight the difference, here's a quick image courtesy of LDD:

The red is the old part (2362) and the blue the new one (87544). I've also put a couple next to each other to give an impression of what the window will look like.

Thanks again. I'll take a look at the part on Pet Shop when I get home. Perhaps bricklink's inventory information is incorrect in this instance. When I looked up 87544 on bl, it claims that it's an alternative part in Pet Shop. It's not listed as a Pet Shop regular item.

[AndyC]

Thanks again. I'll take a look at the part on Pet Shop when I get home. Perhaps bricklink's inventory information is incorrect in this instance. When I looked up 87544 on bl, it claims that it's an alternative part in Pet Shop. It's not listed as a Pet Shop regular item.

Well as I said it's one of those parts that was just changed slightly and when they do that TLG often just slowly phase in the new part as their stocks deplete, so it's possible whomever first did an inventory of it did get that part and then others got the newer one so it was added as an alternate. Or possibly the original inventory was slightly off and the difference in part not noticed, it's always tricky to be sure with pieces like this in sets around the time the parts change.

[Follows Closely]

I'd like to see pictures of "bricklinked" green grocers and corner cafes!

[DaddyWhale]

Great job!! Frankly your Green Grocer looks nicer to me than the original

[fyrmedhatt]

Thanks again. I'll take a look at the part on Pet Shop when I get home. Perhaps bricklink's inventory information is incorrect in this instance. When I looked up 87544 on bl, it claims that it's an alternative part in Pet Shop. It's not listed as a Pet Shop regular item.

I think they used their remaining supply on the Pet Shop, and when they were spent they started using the new style 2x3 panels. I tried ordering the old style panels at the same time as I ordered the dark red 1x2x3 slopes right after the Pet Shop was released, and they sent me the new style panels saying they were the new equivalent parts.

I really have to say Jaime Berard did us a huge service by including these parts in the Pet Shop, as it made my life so much easier when it came to buying the parts for these sets.

[DaddyWhale]

Well as I said it's one of those parts that was just changed slightly and when they do that TLG often just slowly phase in the new part as their stocks deplete, so it's possible whomever first did an inventory of it did get that part and then others got the newer one so it was added as an alternate. Or possibly the original inventory was slightly off and the difference in part not noticed, it's always tricky to be sure with pieces like this in sets around the time the parts change.

I think they used their remaining supply on the Pet Shop, and when they were spent they started using the new style 2x3 panels. I tried ordering the old style panels at the same time as I ordered the dark red 1x2x3 slopes right after the Pet Shop was released, and they sent me the new style panels saying they were the new equivalent parts.

I really have to say Jaime Berard did us a huge service by including these parts in the Pet Shop, as it made my life so much easier when it came to buying the parts for these sets.

I'm convinced that you (two) are right about this! I took another look at the PaB flash rendition of this element. Sure enough, it has small side supports. Even if my Pet Shop uses the original design, I guess my ordered parts will not. Ultimately not a huge deal for me as I've bought CC to complete my collection rather than as an 'investment'.

[SeanM]

Great job!! Frankly your Green Grocer looks nicer to me than the original

Agreed, This is fantastic! This just convinced me to bricklink a Blue Grocer in the spring.

[jamie75]

I think I am going to have to "part hunt" from Bricklink for my CC and MS in a week or 2.

I already planned on using tan arches for the MS and Blue one for CC. Plus, I think I will have to use 2x2x3 Dark Red Slopes for the roof of CC.

I hadn't realized the panels were so expensive, I will probably have to replace those with the new style, as well. Glad I saw this thread!!

The other pieces, that I will have to do something about is the railings on MS. I was thinking of using, part # 30056, 4 of those in Medium Blue to match the second and third floors of MS. The other colors this piece comes in, that I think would like good on MS are Black and Blue. But, there is White avalible too, but, those pieces, can get a little pricey also. Still not sure what color I will with here. Medium Blue to match the floors, or White to match the railings on the original?!

If I think about it, I will post something here when I get them finished.

Jamie