Bricks & Minifigs Port Charlotte was open just three months when Hurricane Ian destroyed the roof of the Murdock Plaza mall where it was formerly located, and owner Veronica Raffone had to find a new home.
During her search, Port Charlotte’s Promenades at Parkside was preparing to undergo a major expansion and renovation. Raffone found her new store next to Bealls at 3280 Tamiami Trail.
Last week, members of the Charlotte County Chamber of Commerce celebrated the first anniversary of Bricks & Minifigs’ rebirth and hosted a grand reopening.
“As [Hurricane Ian] approached, I just had a bad feeling,” Raffone said. She stacked all of her inventory on tables that were in the party room, covered them with a tarp and tied everything down.
“I saved 99% of my inventory,” she said.
Today, the new store is brimming with everything Lego.
There are thousands of minifigs (mini figures of people and animals), as well, some of which customers can create themselves.
The very young and elderly enthusiasts come to Bricks & Minifigs to either join one of the clubs, purchase products, or sell their own completed pieces or individual bricks and minifigs.
One builder decided to sell the completed Lego version of the Wright Brothers’ plane, and it is on display in the store.
Every visitor is asked where they are from, because if they’re from out of the area, Raffone urges them to put a pin on a world map to indicate where they live. The latest pin was placed on Norway, and there have been visitors from throughout Europe, Asia, Africa and the U.S.
Raffone was excited about the upcoming semi-annual release by Lego. On Aug. 1 and Jan. 1 each year, the Danish company, which has U.S. headquarters in Boston, introduces new Lego kits.
Lego franchise owners are sworn to secrecy and cannot reveal the new products until the release date.
Although she wouldn’t say whether there will be a new Star Wars kit, Raffone said both new and retired Star Wars Lego kits are the most popular.
Lego bricks are not inexpensive, but Raffone said she will never turn a child away who comes in with “tooth fairy or birthday money” and wants to buy something Lego.
One visitor to Bricks & Minifigs was Jessica Tursi, director of Disability Navigation for Pathways to Opportunity, a life skills development program.
Tursi thought students in her program would enjoy building with Lego, and hence their club was born. They meet in the party room on Wednesdays.
Raffone is active in the Lego community. She supports Cape Coral High School’s Lego club, and Aug. 3 she will be at Babcock Ranch to view the judging of the Lego Building Competition.
“We provided lots of prizes,” she said.
On the fourth Friday of every month a Lego club meets at Port Charlotte Library on Aaron Street, and the Adult Fans of Lego club meets on the last Saturday of every month in the store’s party room.
Birthday parties, retirement parties and other special Lego-themed events can be booked at Bricks & Minifigs, Raffone said.
Lego was founded in August 1932 in Billund, Denmark, by Ole Kirk Kristiansen, and the company passed from generation to generation and remains in the family.
