Soliciting an opinion....

mrw

Right...There are many many posts/threads on the subjects of storage and to be honest I have read most and am still a little curious....
The question is...
I am opening a LEGO only shop.
I have a smallish collection of 200-300 sets.
Currently everything is zip locked and tagged with individual set numbers
I don't keep boxes, bags etc.
I MOC quite a lot.
I have about a dozen fishing tackle (?) storage containers with spares etc culled from spares in sets, incomplete sets and doubles etc.

I will be offering a complete play with the display in my shop, so nothing is off grounds for the kids (or adults) to touch, pick up etc. I anticipate between 10 - 20 sets or MOC builds displayed at any time.

What is the best way to store all my LEGO?

As I am moving from a personal collector to a retailer, maybe it is not so important to keep my sets pristine - I envisage being inundated with sets shortly and will probably never be able to keep my personal collection, display items and just random elements apart.
I'm currently negotiating with my carpenter on the shelves etc and the decision is nigh on whether I build a bespoke shelving unit for sorted elements behind the counter, This way I can MOC when I want and have everything to hand, but conversely if I decide to rebuild Parisian Restaurant for display this could take me a lot longer then if it was separated and bagged. This on the other hand, leaves less parts available for random MOC and neccesitates building a bigger stock of individual elements.

I would love some simple yes/no opinions based on the above:

Yes - Build bespoke shelving, part out all sets and simply have a parts storage wall
No - Keep the sets separate and build a separate parts storage/mine.

My deepest, sincerest apologies if anyone thinks this is just a no-research, lazy post - I am honestly soliciting opinions as I can't decide which is the best option.

Thanks in advance for any help,

MrW
(James)

mrw

Also any retailers/collectors out there - I would really value your opinion - how do you separate your hobby from your business?
Tack

monkey

mrw said:

I have a smallish collection of 200-300 sets.
Currently everything is zip locked and tagged with individual set numbers
I MOC quite a lot.
I have about a dozen fishing tackle (?) storage containers with spares etc culled from spares in sets, incomplete sets and doubles etc.

Is your current approach when MOCing to pull parts from the sets and then put them back in places? Or do you satisfy yourself with a dozen small containers worth of parts?

It makes sense to continue with what you are used to when starting a new enterprise. Once its up and running and you know if anything requires improvement, you can adapt your original ways.

So my suggestions would be both yes and no, organise the shop so that it is amenable to both approaches.

Legopassion8

Why's that Pringle's mustache so popular right now?

TLG

I don't know, pop culture just loves it right now, kinda like that ongoing "furries" fad- where people were tails... Life is weird.

mrw

thanks @monkey.

Didn't think it was the Pringle's moustache - i've been using it as my avatar on and off for a number of years - mostly because I have had a moustache/beard for 15 years and I like the colour red. Doesn't seem that weird or 'pop culture-y' to me!

Legopassion8

Furries? Isn't that like people dressing up like mascots and rubbing on one another? Hmmm... Suppose the Lego minifigure design team is into that fetish? I mean there s bumblebee girl, lizard guy, chicken suit guy, etc, etc....

Norlego

I fail to see how you will make money out of this??? You will be selling 200 sets from a shop that buyers can vist. I sell Lego from a carboot and make a good income from that. (For me at least.) And the only overheads are fuel, stall fee and stock. With a shop you will have loads of overheads.
I would try selling at carboots, which I do. I dont have a fancy stall, I just put Lego on a table and thats it. Children are drawn to it and often come back many times during the day.
Bespoke anything sounds expensive. If you are loaded fine, but start off small "Lidl"-style before moving on to "Waitrose"-style.
As for allowing customers to play with Lego, this will result in bricks going everywhere. A lot of parents are not strict with their children.
Overall, selling at a carboot is great fun and you will make a fair bit. A good place to buy cheap Lego too. Of course big sets you need to sell online, but smaller sets and figures sell.

KiwiLegoMeister

I like 'come-and-play' sessions .... I have deep pockets when I leave ....

mrw

@Norlego Sorry maybe I was unclear - this is an actual retail shop, I am supplied by Lego Sverige AB, I'm not selling my collection just wondering how to organise it physically within my shop.
I have done the math and the money is there, many businesses do it and I have extensive experience in setting up businesses and operating in retail.
I really don't mind bricks going everywhere - this is a children's toy and I'm happy to clear up and rebuild when needed - I believe in play and think current toy shops don't allow enough of it - but yes it is a hassle and potential risk.
I'm glad you doing well at carboot, maybe next time I'm in the UK I will have to find you and load up! Thanks for your input.

@KiwiLegoMeister - it os definitely something I am considering, just trying to work out the logistics/layout of the shop currently to see if I can fit in a nice large play area. There is always a risk in retail that shrinkage will occur but hopefully I can minimise this with layout and the benefit of my experience - if not then I guess I won't last very long!

Redbullgivesuwind

You will lose a lot of peices so be ready for that. I used to do a display for my local shop and when I was taking it down or putting it up. I had people approach asking of they can have this figure or piece, and a couple who have just tried to leave with them. If it was me I'd let the kids have a big table with 2x4, 2x2 etc so that they can play. But to offset costs maybe allow parents to purchase their child's model they have built at pocket money prices. You can then have the more expensive models or Mocs on a shelf for people to admire.

monkey

KiwiLegoMeister said:

I like 'come-and-play' sessions .... I have deep pockets when I leave ....

Tag the bricks? With technology constantly evolving there must be something suitable out there! And then have fun watching embarrassed parents when it beeps......

Norlego

Redbullgivesuwind said:

You can then have the more expensive models or Mocs on a shelf for people to admire.

I would add behind glass....

For some reason I thought you were going to sell used Lego, not new. Hope it all works for you, but I doubt you will find much joy in buying up my stock... You need to buy from those selling cheap and you can find some very good bargains as carboots before they open to the public. I tend to buy something most times I go.

mrw

@Redbullgivesuwind yeah I have been considering a 'build and buy' offer - maybe sell it by weight. Depends really on what type of parts supply I can get through Lego. Thanks for your suggestions.
@monkey I don't think tagging is an option, even RFID would be too expensive. Maybe something like a dye pack for banknotes?? ;)