Going Local: The LEGO Store

If you have kids, then you know the love/hate relationship one may have with the ever-popular, wallet-biting, strewn-about-the-house, colorful little bricks called LEGOs. They hurt when you step on a brick barefooted, the pieces are impossible to organize in any cohesive manner, and the cost of said plastic pieces is as much as a barrel of oil. But, I love the hours my son spends building and creating, all sans any electrical component in hand. This is a very good thing and good things cost, so get over it.

But, what if you could get LEGOs for FREE? Have I got your attention? There is a catch, though. You have to live near a LEGO store. One recently opened at our local mall, Beachwood Place, and we pretty much get paychecks direct-deposited to the LEGO Store there. Soo, a chance to get some bricks for nothing is pretty enticing.

If you're local, or live near a LEGO Store, I want to tell you about their Mini-Build sessions. These are the coolest! Each first Tuesday of each month LEGO Stores conduct a Mini-Build Model session. Your kids get to build that month's model and take it home absolutely FREE (one per child)! Check today's date of this post and you might want to start making your after-school plans, like right now! This month's Mini Build model is a hockey player (pictured above)!


But, you never get something for nothing, right? So, what will this FREE Mini-Build LEGO cost you? TIME! Yes, LEGO has a limited supply of these FREE Mini-Build Kits and you don't want to stand in line for nothing, so get there early. At our local LEGO Store, the Mini-Build sessions have become increasingly popular so I like to get in line at 4:00 for the 5:00 build session. The worst thing would be to stand in line for hours and have them run out of kits right before you're able to get in to the store.


Keep in mind, the store is still open during the Mini-Build session but you have to stand in line to build the Mini-Build kit. They let in about 12 - 18 kids at a time and you are taken to a table with about 5 kids around each table. You're given a tub of pre-sorted bricks and the build instructions are on the table for everyone to look at while building (the instructions are shared). Once completed, your child is given a business card-sized certificate with a picture of the Mini-Build and a place to sign their name and date for posterity.

Depending on the theme, the lines can get very long, very fast. I've never gotten in line before 4:00 and it has always seemed to work out. For those in the area, the last Mini-Build my son participated in was during December where he built the cutest little LEGO Nutcracker ever seen. The line, again for the locals, turned the corner and went past the Victoria's Secret store. Think of that if you go today!

I hope you take advantage of this great little monthly event LEGO hosts because FREE Legos are like hitting the jackpot in my book!