For over 75 years Legos have been a staple in the playroom, and now Legos have evolved to be a multi-generational pastime. Thanks to Zac and Michelle Erekson we have our own store located right here in Southern Utah.
What inspired you to open Bricks and Minifigs?
A lot of things contributed to our inspiration to open Bricks and Minifigs. Of course, all
the fun we have with LEGO as a family is a big part of it. Before moving to St. George,
we lived near a small shop with a similar feel to Bricks and Minifigs. We often talked
about how we would love to open up our own shop if we didn’t already live so near one.
When we moved to St. George, we immediately thought, “This town needs a fun place
for LEGO.” Literally weeks before moving, we had made a contact with Bricks and
Minifigs, which felt serendipitous to us. What really got us to finally commit, though, was the opportunity to accomplish something as big as opening a business as a family. In particular, one of our high school-aged sons is very business-minded, and we realized what an amazing opportunity it would be for him at this age to be involved with starting a business. He now manages our inventory, and we honestly couldn’t have opened without him.
How have LEGO helped you bond with your children as parents?
Our family has always loved LEGO, from Duplo on up. Our love of LEGO as a family
really heated up when our sons were young, and the Ninjago series started. For young
boys, nothing is cooler than LEGO plus ninja. Zac used the boys’ love of LEGO as an
excuse to indulge himself, unwind from his medical training, and spend time having fun
with the family. We set up elaborate birthday parties with LEGO themes and games. We bought and built sets together. And like most families, we had a “bin o’ LEGO” full of miscellaneous parts to make our own creations. We even developed family traditions involving LEGO, like our Elf on the Shelf bringing a set for each child on the morning of Christmas Eve, giving them something fun to occupy them while mom and dad finished our preparations for the big day.
What impact do you hope to have on Southern Utah, and how do you plan to give back to the community?
One thing that has really hit us already is the impact of just having a fun and welcoming environment at the store. The people who visit become our friends, and that really means something. Sometimes you can tell a person feels like they don’t really belong in some settings, and when they come into the store, they’re in their element; they come alive and feel like they’re at home. Plans are underway to build a party room, where we plan to hold a lot of events to build that sense of belonging and community. As a toy store, we’ll also have a lot of focus on children. We’ve become a sponsor of Boys and Girls Club, and we’re excited about that. LEGO are a well-known tool to get kids excited about STEM and the arts, and we plan to be very involved with school programs. We’re also passionate about emotional wellness. Zac is a physician, and his days can feel pretty heavy at times. LEGO has been a way for him to recharge his batteries. We’re looking to partner with others in the community to foster emotional wellness for both teens and adults.
Do you host any activities for parents and children to do together?
So far, we’ve hosted an in-store scavenger hunt and have partnered for a community
scavenger hunt. We’ve also done some “make and take” builds. The Minifig Maker
tables and bulk tables are always open, and we watch parents and children create
together at those tables every day. In the future, we plan to hold workshops, “my own
creation” (MOC) events, and more make and takes and scavenger hunts. When our
party room is complete, it will also be available to community members for parties,
family gatherings, and much more.
We all love that satisfying click when two Legos come together. These pieces come together to build a complex structure. Just like Legos, people are unique on our own but we are designed to connect with others. Building and working together builds these strong bonds and lasting memories. Build something lasting today.