Richmond is getting a Lego Store

Lego has filed a building permit to establish a store at Short Pump Town Center amid plans to open manufacturing and distribution facilities in the region. (Photo courtesy Lego)

As its massive manufacturing facility in Chesterfield takes shape, Lego is continuing to build upon its local presence with plans for its first retail store in the region.

The toymaker is looking to open a location of its Lego Store chain in a 3,700-square-foot store at Short Pump Town Center, according to documents recently filed with Henrico County.

More details about the store, such as anticipated opening date, were unavailable. A Lego spokesperson didn’t respond to an email seeking comment.

It also wasn’t clear exactly where in the mall the store would be located. The suite number included in the permit appeared to be a placeholder.

Among the currently empty spaces at the mall are a large storefront formerly occupied by Fink’s Jewelers on the ground level of the mall’s east side. Also currently inactive is the sizable space once home to brewery Rock Bottom on the second floor next to L.L.Bean. There’s also the long-vacant two-story former Nordstrom building.

A mall spokeswoman didn’t respond to a request for comment for this article.

Documents filed with Henrico describe the Lego project as a retail location, and lists Lego’s Connecticut-based corporate office for its U.S. operations as the tenant. The company is transitioning to a new Americas headquarters in Boston, which opened last month, and expects to complete the move next year.

The company also posted a listing for a job opening seeking a store manager for a retail location planned in Short Pump, though the listing didn’t provide a more specific location. The manager listing, which was still active this week, said the position’s salary would be $67,500 to $80,000.

The store would further expand the company’s retail footprint in Virginia. There are Lego Store locations in Virginia Beach and four stores in Northern Virginia.

The upcoming local Lego Store isn’t far from the western Henrico outpost of Bricks & Minifigs, a franchised chain of stores that sells new and used Legos but is independent of the Danish toy company. The Bricks & Minifigs opened in late 2022 and was followed more recently by a second local outpost near the Brandermill area of Chesterfield.

Lego is also working on the construction of a 1.7 million-square-foot manufacturing facility in Chesterfield and last month announced plans to open a 2 million-square-foot distribution center in Prince George.

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