It’s a simple plastic toy that has been around for nearly 100 years. You can build virtually anything simply by snapping the pieces together and taking them apart. Now, there's a brand new space in downtown San Luis Obispo bringing Lego enthusiasts together.
Like so many others, Bo Schmidt grew up with Lego and ultimately found himself playing with the toy once again as a dad.
“Well, we first started getting into Lego a few years ago. I went with my 12-year-old son to Legoland, walked around and thought, 'this is really cool,'" Schmidt explained. "It brought back old memories and stuff like that, and he started getting into it and so I started getting back into it and we started building together and then we took over the spare room in the house.”
It seems to be the one toy, we all have in common.
"I think that it taps into the creative part of your brain, you know," Schmidt said. "You’re not just limited to whatever this kit says. You can design your own. You can take pieces and put it all together and make it your own.“
He says it’s that creativity that keeps people coming back no matter how old.
“If you buy a Slinky, you get a Slinky and it’s going to be a Slinky over here or over there. Lego -- you take these pieces and you can make whatever you want.”
Now the Central Coast entrepreneur is hoping to capitalize on the love of Lego. He opened a new store in downtown San Luis Obispo called “Bricks & Minifigs.”
It’s a place where all ages can buy, sell, and trade those little plastic parts.
From new kits to old pieces and parts you may be missing or even one-of-a-kind collectors' items, there’s something for everyone.
Unlike most toys, some Lego kits actually go up in value and individual rare pieces can be pricey.
Schmidt says a mini-figure can range from a couple of bucks to more than $200 for the hard-to-find ones.
“There’s a lot of collectors around, custom builders and stuff, that are really excited because they would have to go to LA or San Francisco to find something similar to this. Now we’re in a centralized location here on the Central Coast.”
Whether you’re a collector or brand new to Lego, everyone is welcome
“I like to think of it not as a Lego store, but as a place to come and have fun,” Schmidt said.
Bricks & Minifigs is celebrating its grand opening on Saturday, Feb. 3, from 11 a.m. to 7 p.m. There will be a Lego Master there demonstrating his building skills as well as several giveaways.
The store is located on Marsh Street in downtown San Luis Obispo next to the parking garage.
