Lego store champions Pinoy street food, landmarks

SEEING DOUBLE Gio Choi Lualhati meets his doppleganger the Mamang Sorbetero in Lego Store. —RUTH NAVARRA

Gio Choi Lualhati, 8, was a scene-stealer last week at the opening of the Lego Certified Store at Ayala Malls Manila Bay. He wore a Lego storage head which he turned into a mask. He walked in his Filipiniana costume only to find a doppelganger inside.

The store’s centerpiece looked just like him. The 3D model of “Mamang Sorbetero” features a smiling head wearing the iconic red magsasaka pants, white shirt, and red scarf. A buri hat sits on its head and in his hand he holds a cone with three scoops of ice cream that one can imagine to be chocolate, strawberry, and cheese flavors.

He looked exactly like Lualhati which made visitors that day take pictures with him.

“We submitted the concept of Mamang Sobertero because Filipinos love street food,” said Ban Kee Trading’s advertising and promotions manager Bea Sebastian.

The Philippines has officially become a destination for Lego enthusiasts. Fans of the bricks can get their Lego passports stamped when they visit a local store. It will be offered only at the newly opened Lego Certified Store at the Ayala Malls Manila Bay until Nov. 8. After that, it will be available in all stores.

The mural featuring the Philippine eagle, local landmarks, and barong Tagalog —RUTH NAVARRA

Another unique display at the store is the brick mural that has the landscape of Mayon Volcano, the Lion’s Head of Baguio, a Philippine eagle soaring above, and a couple wearing barong Tagalog. Sebastian said that they really thought of markers that would clearly represent the Philippines and not mistake it for another Asian country. So far, it is the only Lego store that has this theme.

On opening day, they invited children to come in Filipiniana costumes to join the celebration.

Passport stamps

They were the first to receive the Lego passports in the country. The passports are free to claim and with no purchase requirement. Owners can get their passports stamped when they visit the different Lego stores all over the world.

One can design their own mini figures in the store. —RUTH NAVARRA

The stamps also do not require any purchases. No two designs are alike as they are really meant to encourage Lego fans seek them out in every country that they visit. The program has been going on for years, but it is the first time that the Philippines is included in the network.

Part of the perks of buying onsite are the freebies. Sebastian said that every month they will have a different gift for buyers who meet the purchase requirement. On opening day, the Lego Store set was offered. It is only available every time a new store opens, so a lot of collectors came on the first day.

A lot of sought-after sets are offered in the store including the recently rolled out Botanical Garden set. New collectors can also be guided in the store through the markers that identify the bestsellers and the hard-to-find products. There’s an entire section reserved for sets with discounts.

Building is still the best part of the store. There are a couple of areas to do just that, including creating your own mini figures. Whether you go there to shop, look around or play, everything is awesome.