Exclusive Interview – Tim Murray speaks to Natali Stojovic, head of LEGO Retail

Brick to the future

LEGO’s keenly timed revamp of its flagship store saw a summer opening coinciding with its 90th anniversary. TnP headed to the heart of London to find out more about the retail experience and the company’s plans for the future…

In little more than five years – it first flung open its doors in 2016 – the flagship LEGO store in London’s Leicester Square “ (as central as you can get in the capital), has become a notable addition to the retail landscape.

Its new refit sees the toy-toretail giant upping the ante once more, expanding its horizons and going even more for the full-on retail experience. With a whole new floor added, it’s now the largest LEGO outlet in the world and is set to become the template for new stores and refits going forward.

Independent retailers can learn a thing or two from LEGO on how the retail side of the empire sells its own product.

For the new flagship, in keeping with its modus operandi, doesn’t discount, doesn’t price promote, but rather concentrates on the experience for the customer

And it really is about the experience. “We’ve done all the research,” says Natali Stojovic, head of LEGO Retail for the group, speaking exclusively through its products, and

Consumers the Tree of Discovery. This is really want the centrepiece of the store, spanning the two floors, with hands-on play plenty for kids to discover. - we’ve done As the company itself notes: “The Tree of Discovery is the the research centrepiece of the store and - they want showcases LEGO storytelling on a huge scale. It’s an immersive interactive build designed to experiences be an expression of the LEGO Group’s commitment to being Natali Stojovic, head of LEGO Retail ” inclusive and having a positive impact on society and the planet. "Visitors of all ages are invited to explore a magical wonderland hidden inside the tree through windows in its rainbow trunk.” There’s a sense of theatre too, with large LEGO builds from Harry Potter and a lifesize Aston Martin that offers up Instagram-friendly photo opportunities. This latest refit and design features the relatively recently introduced new look and feel for LEGO stores. “We launched this look and feel including the personalisation studio last year in New York,” says Stojovic. “We then opened another big store in Barcelona, then two more in China,

to TnP as the Leicester Square store opened its doors just in time for the group’s anniversary, giving it double cause for celebration. “Consumers really want hands-on play - we’ve done the research - they want immersive experiences… And they really want an unforgettable experience, something they will remember for a long time.”

And that’s what it gives shoppers, with play areas aplenty dotted around the store, tons of staff well versed in the product, showing off the wares and joining in with the fun. Moreover, there is also a personalisation studio, where consumers can create their own LEGO Minifigures; an interactive storytelling area tracing the history of the company

and this is number five of this size.”

It’s the model for all new openings going forward.

“It will evolve,” she notes, “we can adjust the concept depending on the size of the store. In this flagship, we have more space for big builds, 3D models; in smaller stores it might be something in the window, but you can really tailor it to the space.

“The concept is always the same; it’s about having hands-on experiences.”

It’s not just that though. A key element is making each store suit its surroundings. With London buses, its own character Lester and more, the shop has a distinct London feel. As Stojovic explains: “It’s about connecting locally and engaging, being relevant. While the store concept is very good, it is meant to be connecting locally. You can think of it like a canvas.”

Key to each store will be using the template of the look and feel, then ensuring it has the balance just right. “We haven’t changed the recipe much,” says Stojovic, “I think it’s a good balance.

“We have the play, we’re keeping the kids entertained. We have [stock] on the perimeters and the middle fixtures, we have quite wide walkways. We have the square metres to display all the products.”

Each store caters to local needs, with London recognising both UK visitors in town shopping for the day as well as its tourist traffic.

As Stojovic explains: “This is the largest store worldwide; we have a standard assortment and we have things unique to the store, like Lester. Exclusives are always important - LEGO retail stores have exclusives, that’s always exciting - but there’s a core range too. Our fans might be in for core product, or gifts for children, buying their first LEGO, or they’re fans of Star Wars. It’s very broad and it’s a good balance. It’s the mix of exclusive, mementoes and hands-on play. We know locations are different, we do adjust depending on the needs of the shopper. There are a lot of London themes here, in New York, it’s New York.”

Those little local touches, such as the London-themed messages in the tree of discovery, which please locals, are particular to the capital and the UK, but also appeal to tourists.

The other key element is the staff. TnP spent time chatting to some of the team ahead of the opening, and their LEGO knowledge and enthusiasm is deeply impressive.

“I’m so proud of them,” beams Stojovic. “They’re fans of the brand first. They want to work for the LEGO group because they want to play, they have a deep passion for connecting.

“The staff play an important role in creating those unforgettable, memorable experiences, and we empower them to give each shopper what’s right for them.”

She relates how in a Southampton store, staff built a camper van to go on top of the wedding cake when a couple came in looking for something very “ The staff play an important specific (“It’s the staff that role in creating create that magic,” she says). “Our staff are experts in those building LEGO and engaging with people,” she adds. unforgettable,

The store has been two memorable years in the making, with the neat dovetailing between its experiences, and opening and the ongoing we empower anniversary celebrations, but where next for the retail arm them to give each of the company? shopper what’s “It’s part of the ongoing efforts to refresh our estate,” right for them says Stojovic. “This is it for now [in the UK], but we will look whenever the Natali Stojovic, head of LEGO Retai ” opportunity comes up. We’re opening up elsewhere, we’ve got Dublin [Ireland's first LEGO store, which opened in August] and we’re always looking.”

With business now, it seems, over the pandemic problems, it’s a case of looking to the future for LEGO. Stojovic believes that, after the lockdowns, this store is just the kind of retail environment that shoppers want.

“It’s back to pre-Covid levels,” she concludes. “The traffic is back and we can see how much people have been craving the experience. Our stores are this kind of place where people can play. Shoppers want hands-on immersive experiences, engaging experiences, brick-based activities; they want those models they can be inspired by.

“This is the driving force behind it, to stay fresh, relevant but to have a concept that works globally; this is going to work brilliantly. It’s neutral in this form, but then you add the local elements. I think this will stay for quite a while.”