West Wichita will soon get its own shop that buys old Legos, sells new ones
Nearly two years after Derek Sorrells opened his Lego resale and retail shop Let’s Go Build on the east-side of Wichita, the west side is in line to get a similar shop.
Jim and Carol Lindner say they plan to open a Wichita location of the franchise Bricks & Minifigs in the still-under-construction Shops at Avante strip center at 3801 N. Ridge Road. (Coincidentally, that’s the same strip center where Sorrells is putting his new Papa’s Ice Cream & Treats extreme shake shop.)
The Lego shop, which will buy old Lego sets from people as well as sell used Legos and new Lego sets — should open sometime this fall, the couple said. They’re aiming for October.
Bricks & Minifigs (the latter word is short for mini figurines, or “Lego people,” as they’re commonly called) was founded in 2010 in Utah and now has around 180 storefronts across the United States and Canada. The company’s founders are two men who met each other while in an online bidding war over a large collection of Legos.
The Lindners, who have four young children, said that the whole family is made up of Lego enthusiasts. The couple decided they wanted to franchise a business, and they came across the company.
“It’s a great fit for us as a family,” said Carol Lindner, who has worked for The Trust Company of Kansas for the last 20 years and is the company’s senior vice president and compliance officer.
The shop is designed for Lego enthusiasts who have pieces they want to unload or are looking for specific pieces to complete their projects. It also sells new Lego sets and lets customers play with Legos and build their own masterpieces while they visit. People can even purchase the Lego structures they make while playing in the store.
Jim Lindner, who will help manage the store, said that the “fun” feel of the business is what sold the couple on Bricks & Minifigs. As part of the process, they spent time in a corporate-owned store and liked what they saw.
“Even when we went out there for a week-long training, we experienced the exact same thing: People come in and they always have a smile on their faces,” he said. “It’s a great atmosphere for people to be able to come in and have fun. The employees even have fun. Even when they get off of work, they’re not ready to get out of there.”
The Lindners expect they’ll get the keys to their new space by Sept. 1, and then they’ll start putting the store together.
In the meantime, they want to start stocking up on used Lego sets. They encouraged people to follow their Facebook and Instagram pages, which they’re already monitoring. If people have Lego sets or pieces they don’t want anymore and want to sell them, the Lindners are interested. They encourage people to reach out over Facebook messenger.
Already-put-together sets are worth more than individual pieces, Jim Lindner said, but the couple is interested in “anything and everything Lego.”
In the meantime, the couple said, they’re trying to manage their own children’s expectations of having a Lego business in the family.
“When dad kept bringing home a lot of these sets, we had to say, ‘We’re not keeping ... these.’” Jim Lindner said with a laugh. “It’s not Christmas every day.”
This story was originally published June 20, 2024 at 9:09 AM.
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