EVERETT — For Tony and Stacie Capelli, launching a new Bricks & Minifigs outlet to buy and sell new and used Lego sets has been a thrill.
Take Saturday’ grand opening — throngs of young and old Lego lovers stopped by the new store at 1203 SE Everett Mall Way to check out the mini-figures and kits.
But not everyone’s thrilled with their new venture.
For the couple’s 7-year-old son, Jacob, “it’s been torture,” Tony Capelli said with a chuckle.
Multiple times Jacob has breached the line between what belongs to the store and what he believes should rightfully belong to him.
“We’ll tell him, ‘No you can’t have that — that’s for the store,’ and then we’ll find it in his room,” he said.
Tony Capelli wipes counters at Bricks & Minifigs in Everett, Washington on Thursday, May 30, 2024. (Annie Barker / The Herald)
The 2,500-square-foot Everett store is the franchise’s second active Snohomish County location. A previous Bricks & Minifigs store located at 607 SE Everett Mall Way, closed a few years ago.
But a Bricks & Minifigs in Monroe at 14650 N Kelsey St. has been going strong since 2017.
The new south Everett store offers event space for birthdays, Lego-themed parties, workshops and other events, Stacie Capelli said.
And if you need help assembling a Lego kit or finding the right piece for a do-it-yourself project, the store’s five employees are ready to help.
Searching for inspiration?
You can’t miss the store’s huge, fully lit model of Husky Stadium, made from Legos, of course.
A model of the UW stadium made by Shane Deegan at Bricks & Minifigs in Everett, Washington on Thursday, May 30, 2024. Deegan began working on the piece in February. (Annie Barker / The Herald)
From Lego Star Wars to Lego’s Botanical Collection — think flowers and potted plants — the outlet has something for everyone, Tony Capelli said.
Bricks & Minifigs also offers some custom sets, such as its line of Star Wars-inspired lightsaber.
Or just “dig through” a table filled with random Lego bricks, tiles and other pieces that can be purchased in bulk.
Prices start at about $5.
Founded in 2006, the Orem, Utah-based franchise now operates more than 100 stores across the United States and Canada.
When Tony was laid off from his job at an Everett ad agency in November 2022, the thought of going back to being a freelancer was not appealing.
But what to do instead?
Stuck at home during the pandemic, the Lake Stevens couple and their two children, Jacob, 7, and Miranda, 12, enjoyed building Lego sets.
On a visit to the Bricks & Minifigs store in Monroe, they learned it was a franchise.
The Capellis said they invested about $35,000 to purchase a franchise. A week-long training session at the firm’s headquarters walked them through the business model.
Stacie Capelli checks prices on items at Bricks & Minifigs in Everett, Washington on Thursday, May 30, 2024. (Annie Barker / The Herald)
They began searching for a storefront near Smokey Point but when nothing turned up they headed south.
The Everett mall area beckoned.
“We’re excited to be in this area with the renovations going on at the Everett Mall,” Tony Capelli said, referring to the new Trader Joe’s that opened in the former Sears store and the nearby Chick-fil-A.
“There’s so much focus on getting this area revitalized,” he added.
While renovating their own storefront, a former liquor store, the Capellis were besieged by potential customers. They stopped their cars. They peered in windows and knocked on doors, wanting to know when it would open.
“I was shocked at how many pulled up,” he said.
On the home front, the Capellis’ son Jacob “is excited the store’s opened,” Tony Capelli said “But concerned that we’re selling the Legos he wanted.”
Available lego heads at Bricks & Minifigs in Everett, Washington on Thursday, May 30, 2024. (Annie Barker / The Herald)
Want to visit Bricks & Minifigs’ new store?
Address: 1203 SE Everett Mall Way
Hours: 10 a.m to 6 p.m. Monday to Thursday; 10 a.m. to 7 p.m. Friday and Saturday. Closed Sunday.
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