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Hey guys,

I'm going to a lego store (in NYC) today and was wondering what kind of stuff they've got there.

I'm kind of on a strict $20-30 budget, but I'll at least get a small PaB cup.

Do they have army-builder torsos sets (not exactly sure what they're called. I saw them in SSchimdt's Lego Store topic)?

Should I get some CMF, or just them at TRU and Target?

Let me know y'all's thoughts.

~RBC

If you've read Sschmidt's topic, then that should tell you exactly what to expect at a Lego store. As for buying CMFs there or elsewhere, just buy them where you can get the best deal on them. The one advantage to getting them from Lego, all else being equal, is that you'll get VIP points.

Hey,

Mostly I would point to the responses in this thread. Especially be sure to check what to expect on the Pick-a-Brick wall

On army builders, I was at the store west of Philadelphia a couple of weeks ago, and I saw some of this torso in the 'build-a-fig' station:

Generally speaking I see more town fig parts in those, but I don't know if anyone's ever done any sort of quantitative analysis of what shows up in those. Occasionally I see something old, which I snatch up if I see it, e.g. relatively recently I got the torso and tailfin for the Harry potter Mermaid.

Otherwise they tend to be fairly recent things. If you do see a lot of good army builder torsos, you should ask them if you can just get any fifteen parts rather than having to include three legs, three torsos, three heads, three hats, and three accessories (this was mentioned as a possibility in that other thread, but someone also mentioned that they would be changing the policy).

Also, at least at the store I went to, they are currently carrying this issue of BrickJournal:

It's very train centered. A few other articles, but almost all train stuff. It looks like the next issue of BrickJournal (which won't ship until later in the month) will be castle focused, so that's something to keep your eyes out for.

Bruce

RBC,

I know my opinion is relatively small compared to others as I have only been to the LEGO store once, but everything is full price. You won't find any sales.

Snce that is the case, as previously mentioned in my thread (by AK, I think), it would be far more cost effective to only buy PAB cups and exclusives. You can get LEGO just about anywhere, and most of the time you can get it cheap if you are a smart consumer. When I got back into LEGO I decided I would not pay full price for anything (the exclusives being the exception). So if it was me, I wouldn't look at purchasing anything except exclusives or PAB wall. You will be able to find everything else and find it cheaper at that.

This is just my opinion though, take it with a grain of salt.

Thanks for the input guys.

Much appreciated.

~RBC

but everything is full price. You won't find any sales.

This is not true. Pretty often there are sales on items listed by a percent off. Usually it is 10 to 30% off, but there are pretty regularly things on sale. You just have to look for them and they may not be something you are interested in but there are. There are often things on clearance too.

Be aware that the rules on the build a fig may have changed and you may have to actually build 3 whole figs.

As far as collecti figs are concerned. Some stores have helpful employees who may help you find what you are looking for. Some don't. It depends on if you have stores around you that actually carry them. I do not, so sure I get them at the LEGO store.

And as far as shopping there or at other stores, I generally don't care where I buy what I buy because it won't be cheap anyway. If you want a set at the LEGO store, then buy it. You can't guarantee the other stores that run sales will have it or put it on sale. (Heck there is a store here who is running a "clearance" and basically it is only $2 off the sets...which for some is less than 2%)

Basically, it is your experience. Enjoy it as you want to enjoy it. Yes, get advice but also remember advice is only advice, it isn't the law about how to shop for LEGO.

Oh and be prepared for lots of kids, but you are going to a LEGO store...kids are always going to be there.

And be nice to the staff because they are very helpful. Remember the name of the one that helped you, and do the survey when you get home.

SSchmidt wrote:I know my opinion is relatively small compared to others as I have only been to the LEGO store once, but everything is full price. You won't find any sales.

This is untrue (at least for the LEGO stores I have been to). Often times at the back of the store, there will be sets that are on clearance or sale. Normally these sets have damaged boxes/are rather old sets you cannot find anywhere else in the store. I've seen this at the LEGO Store in Burlington, MA as well as the LEGO Store in Natick, MA.

EDIT: I went to local Lego store and used build-a-fig to great success

Count yourself lucky because there have been many reports that the managers are only letting people build 3 figs and they have to be figs now with that build a fig station. Also, please remember, the changes in rules are often due to the way we post and talk about them. Tis best to keep things on the hush hush.

Well I got a (small) PaB with a bunch of bamboo leaf pieces, trans-blue round 1x1 plates, and tan 1x2 and 1x4 bricks.

I'll post pictures tomorrow.

~RBC

Mm trans blue round 1x1s... I wish my PAB had those

Ferretclaw wrote:Mm trans blue round 1x1s... I wish my PAB had those

LOL!

I'll trade you some, if you want.

Let me know.

~RBC

All these other LEGO stores seem to get good PAB pieces in.
This may bet off topic and if it is, forgive me, but who decides or what is the deciding factor on what pieces a PAB wall gets?

management at the store. We have 2 stores in Colorado an I know that it is also based to a certain extent on the lug members an Afols in the area requesting certain pieces. One store here has an Awesome PAB wall, while the other is eh. But it is really up to the managers as far as I am aware. If you don't see something ask who is in charge of the PAB Ordering, an talk with them. Plus you may not know but if your looking for something specific ask if they have it in the back. Most of the time the don't have everything on the wall and have some pieces and Plates on the back shelves.

Curt

I've been told it's the store manager who orders the pieces. I'm sure Blue or someone else could say with more certainty. I am fortunate enough to live within an hour or so of three different LEGO stores though I rarely visit them. One has a reasonable PAB wall; some tiles, trans 1x2s or 1x1 rounds usually but never any leaves or anything else extraordinary. Another, a Discovery Center, always has all of its bins full of about three different pieces and they are all awful. We're talking wheels with no tires or axles taking up half the PAB wall. The difference in pieces varies tremendously between stores and, in my experience, a store's inventory doesn't change very often.