Locations announced for new Lego stores in Queensland

Alceon Group has announced the locations of two new Lego stores opening in Queensland this year.

The investment firm, which holds the distribution rights for Lego in Australia and New Zealand, will open stores in QIC’s Robina Town Centre on the Gold Coast and Westfield’s Chermside shopping centre in Brisbane.

The stores, measuring 188sqm and 236sqm respectively, will incorporate many of the custom-built design features seen in the Sydney store, such as brick-built mosaics and 3D models of local icons.

“We are confident that brick fans of all ages will enjoy these new world class retail experiences, with signature features that are a tribute to creativity and innovation,” Richard Facioni, executive director of Alceon Group, said in a statement.

The Queensland store openings are part of a broader expansion of Lego’s bricks-and-mortar presence in Australia and New Zealand, following the opening of the first certified Lego store in the region at Westfield Bondi Junction in March.

Alceon last month revealed plans to open additional stores in New South Wales, Victoria and Queensland this year, with more to follow in South Australia and Western Australia in 2020. A store is also set to open in Westfield’s Newmarket shopping centre in Auckland this year.

Facioni told the Australian Financial Review in July that the brand has benefited from the popularity of the top-rated Lego Masters reality show; the stores will aim to capitalise on that momentum.

“Our two landmark Lego certified stores in Queensland will attract both local and international visitors as we unveil fun and inspiring retail environments that showcase the creative potential of the world famous Lego brick,” he said in a statement.

Alceon has become one of the biggest investors in the retail sector, after it acquired the Specialty Fashion Group brands Katies, Millers, Autograph, Crossroads and Rivers in 2018. The company has a controlling stake in Noni B and ethical designer fashion brand Ginger and Smart, and owns Ezibuy, SurfStitch and Pumpkin Patch, among other retail assets.

The company this week reported a 136 per cent increase in sales at Noni B Group, which includes the womenswear chain and five former SFG brands, to $881.9 million, though net profit was down 52 per cent to $8.2 million due to restructuring costs associated with the acquisition.

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