Build it, and they will come

East Kildonan

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This article was published 19/03/2025 (195 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.

A new local business is looking to help build up the local Lego community, brick by brick.

Little Brick Shop celebrated its grand opening on March 15 after soft-launching a week earlier. The new venture, located on the second floor of House of Local (680 Watt St.), is a partnership between friends and Lego aficionados Justin Durkin, 45, and Jason Poturica, 46.

“We’re a buy, sell, trade Lego store. You can trade in your old sets for new sets. We like to promote recycling and reimagining people’s old sets,” Durkin explained.

“We feel we’re the first dedicated Lego store for buying, selling and trading in Winnipeg. I don’t believe it exists beyond flea market and (online marketplace) buyers and sellers. Collectible stores might take it, but it’s not their specialty. We aim to be the specialty store in Winnipeg and beyond.”

Both Durkin and Poturica got into Lego as kids, and then rediscovered their passion for the hobby as adults.

“I find it’s a nice meditative practice. I got really into the architecture sets, like the Taj Mahal, the Paris, New York sets, where you rebuild a famous cultural landmark,” Durkin said.

“Then I started really wanting to get Lego for my kids. So I started buying Lego in big lots, and letting them play with it. Lego is more than a toy. It is an experience, a collectible, and a tool for storytelling.”

“I was a kid with ADHD, and I found it was really calming,” Poturica said. “In school I was always getting in trouble, so Lego became a place I could express myself and my creativity in a way that felt safe and comfortable. Now, my nephew also has attention issues but when he sits down with me and builds Legos, we can do it for hours. I can see his creativity, his storytelling, and his passion for it. In this world, he feels safe and calm. That’s one reason for doing this.”

From specialty sets from multiple fandoms, to customizable collaborations, and more, Lego has evolved into a hobby for kids of all ages, abilities, and interests.

“The hobby has expanded from (age) four-plus sets that are very basic to 18-plus sets that are much more elaborate,” Poturica said. “There’s room to grow in the hobby, for people to expand their creativity. It can be like doing a puzzle, and having something really beautiful to keep after.”

“The botanical line is really interesting,” Durkin added. “You can build bouquets, or poinsettias, or lotus flowers. There’s a full array of plants they’ve made into Lego sets. They display really nicely, and you don’t have to water them.”

One of many initiatives Little Brick Shop sees on the horizon is setting up at local farmers’ markets.

“At different market events we’re going to offer real flowers merged with Lego flowers,” Poturica said. “You get the beauty of the fresh flowers, as well as the forever aspect of the Lego flowers. They look really good together.”

At both markets and the shop itself, customers can buy brand-new sets, as well as used sets, which have been cleaned and repackaged.

“We’ll have stickers on our used sets that read ‘certified fresh’,” Durkin said. “Our intent is to refresh it and make it feel like you’re opening it for the first time.”

The pair will also be hosting a number of events intended to bring Lego lovers together.

“We’ll be doing community events, like teaching people how to build certain sets, or holding competitions for custom sets,” Poturica said. “We really want to build the grassroots Lego community, to help it grow and flourish.”

Little Brick Market is open Tuesdays to Saturdays from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. and Sundays from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Find it on Facebook or Instagram.