Veteran Builds Business With Used Legos
Dallas native and U.S. Air Force veteran Jason Klima remembers his first Lego set.
“I was kind of poor growing up, so most of my toys came from garage sales,” he said. “I can’t remember having a single toy that had all the parts, but with Lego, it didn’t matter – you could still build whatever you wanted.”
Klima discovered Bricks & Minifigs while stationed in Oahu, Hawaii. His son wanted a rare mini-figure normally sold only in a set, and a friend recommended the store.
Klima fell in love with the franchise.
“One gets blown away by the endless sea of Lego,” he said.
Customers can fill bags with their choice of Lego pieces or “bricks,” or shop from the showcase of mini-figures and used sets.
“Not only is this a really cool concept, but cathartic, in that everyone came in the door happy,” Klima said.
Klima and his wife, Andrea, decided to become franchisees. They opened their own store in Plano in 2015, followed in 2017 by a North Dallas store in the Preston Valley Shopping Center. Their third location opened late last year in Sachse, and they are thinking about expanding into McKinney.
Preston Hollow resident Heather Dossett and her three boys enjoy visiting the North Dallas store.
“What I really love is that they let the kids bring in minifigs and Legos that they used and enjoyed and trade them in,” she said.
Dossett also is a fan of the store’s birthday parties, classes, and summer activities.
“Anything that gets the kids using their imagination, their hands, and working as a team is fantastic,” she said.
The entire Klima family are masters of their trade and play with Lego toys throughout the day. Whether assembling sets by following plans or building freehand—what Klima calls MOC’s (my own creations) – having experience helps him connect with his customers.
Klima said the North Dallas store is in an excellent location with a diverse customer base, where not all shoppers are families and children. He estimates that half his customers are adults, or AFOL’s (adult fans of Lego). Klima said Lego often is therapeutic and brings back a sense of nostalgia for many customers.
