When the LEGO Group began releasing their modular buildings range in 2007 they became an instant hit. The cafe corner was first and down the line set number 10211, the Creator Grand Emporium, was released. Check out our list of best LEGO sets to find the right one for you!
Related: Also read the LEGO 10197 review
Why We Like It – LEGO Grand Emporium 10211
We really like the LEGO Grand Emporium because it makes real efforts to feel like a living, breathing department store that people would be shopping in on a busy Saturday afternoon. It’ll bring life to your LEGO city and give your LEGO people a place to shop and spend their weekends!
- Interesting Build Elements
- Expressive-Looking inside and Outside
- Plethora of Diverse Pieces
- Discontinued by LEGO
- Must obtain from Third-Party Sellers or Collectors
- Expensive
Related: Have a look at our LEGO Pet Shop 10218 review
Performance
The LEGO Modular series are known for their complex builds, and the LEGO Creator Grand Emporium is no different. They are also known for their attention to detail which, again, the Grand Emporium doesn’t skimp out on. The outside of the building is a revolving door with the word SHOP in big letters above it. Getting this to work involves some fun building techniques which we’ll leave you to discover for yourself. If fun building techniques are your thing then you should try building the LEGO Star Wars Millennium Falcon 7965. How cool would a Millennium Falcon be in the middle of your LEGO city?
Design
The overall look of the LEGO Creator Grand Emporium is that of a department store like JCPenney, Nordstrom, or Target. The ground floor of the modular building makes real efforts to feel legitimate, and each floor above it contains an awning and windows with some of the available products. The second floor, for example, is a clothing department with hats seen in the window while the top floor is the sports department. Outside we even get a neat little ice cream stand. If building a department store doesn’t sound too exciting for you why not try the LEGO Star Wars Death Star 10188?
Value
The LEGO Creator Grand Emporium comes with 2,182 pieces. Unfortunately, it has been discontinued by the manufacturer so you can’t take advantage of the free shipping LEGO offers in the United States. This also means it has become a collectors item and, like most collector’s items nowadays, it will cost you an arm and a leg. The cheapest price on Amazon right now is $420 for a Like New model. Check out the LEGO Star Wars Republic Frigate 7964 if you don’t feel like hunting a set down and just want to build something now.
LEGO Grand Emporium 10211 Wrap Up
It really is unfortunate that LEGO decided to discontinue the Grand Emporium, but they have been known to issue re-releases of certain sets. Let’s cross our fingers that LEGO deems the Grand Emporium worthy of a re-release. If not, and you really need it for your city, you may just have to bite the bullet and pay whatever a collector wants for it.
