Brick-builders rejoice: this Summer, the LEGO group is collaborating with entrepreneur Eran Tor in order to launch Israel’s first LEGO Certified Stores. According to a press release on the subject, the LEGO group plans to open “an online store as well as physical LEGO Certified Stores across Israel,” though the exact number of locations is yet unknown.
LEGO stores are renowned in the US and around the world as boutique shops dedicated to selling the brand’s building sets and merchandise. At present, there are over 678 retail stores in operation, which offer exclusive LEGO products and events.
“We have listened to our many Israeli LEGO fans and are excited to open LEGO Certified Stores in Israel,” said Madelaine Edwards, general manager of LEGO Turkey, Greece, and Israel. “Israel is a very important territory for us, and we look forward to providing our Israeli fans with an unprecedented LEGO experience and service!”
Also yet to be announced is the pricing of sets and products. It’s difficult to speculate as to whether or not the store’s stock will be marked up in price: another brand store launched by Tor, the Nintendo store in Tel Aviv, sells features merchandise and products from the Japanese video game company; and while it sells physical video game cartridges for as much as $17 more than the asking price on Amazon, it also offers Nintendo peripherals such as amiibo statues, for significantly less.
“I am honored and excited to have been chosen to open LEGO Certified Stores in Israel,” said Tor. “I know firsthand the love Israelis have for LEGO products, with many generations having grown up with – and grown with – this amazing brand. I look forward to hosting fans in our stores as they immerse themselves in the special LEGO experience and values: joy of building, pride of creation via imagination, creativity, fun, learning, caring and quality.”
The latest offerings from LEGO include new building sets for properties such as Jurassic World, Horizon Forbidden West, and the Spice Girls. Earlier this month, they launched a $143 million project to fund early childhood development.
“All children have the right to feel safe and have access to quality education and healthcare. But to date, early childhood development has been not just under-recognized, but grossly underfunded,” said Thomas Kirk Kristiansen, chair of the board of directors at The LEGO Foundation. “Children are the builders of tomorrow. To build a better world for future generations – focusing on innovation and action – we must work together. If we do not invest in the youngest children in our society, we don’t invest in our collective future.”