On January 1st LEGO officially released the latest modular building – 10270 Bookshop. Today I will be having a look at this beautiful addition to the modular collection.
Despite only being a few months old the Bookshop feels like it belongs to a different era. Enter a world where you can casually browse a bookstore without worrying about social distancing and how many people can fit inside based on how many square metres it is.
Like 10218 Pet Shop before it the Bookshop is a split modular, meaning that you get two smaller buildings rather than the single 32×32 build. I really like split modulars as they give you a lot of flexibility in your modular layout, assuming of course that you’ve already got a few of them.
The first of the two buildings is Birch Books. A charming little bookshop with an upstairs apartment. Running a quaint little book store and living upstairs is probably a dream lifestyle for a lot of book lovers.
There is a lot of detail to really appreciate in this build but I am going to start outside and work my way in and up. The tree on the outside is a really interesting build. I quite like the end result and I think it’s a nice change to get autumn colours on the tree this time around, my only question would be how it fits on a street with the other modulars. Nestled in the branches of the tree is a birds nest with a bird. I really like the inclusion of some leaves on the ground. It makes the scene feel more real.
Also on the outside of the building you get a wonderful display of books. I love the idea of people wandering down the street, stopping to check out a book that catches their eye. There are a lot of reasonably new parts used on the exterior façade. Elements like the 1X1X2/3 bowed plate help soften some of the square edges.
Moving inside to the first level we get a desk and cash register as well as some bookshelves. I like the way the bookshelves use tiles and plates to give the effect of book spines.
On this bottom level you will also find a spiral staircase leading up to a mezzanine level. I think it’s interesting that they’ve split this level, the only problem is that the mezzanine makes it a bit hard to see the rear bookshelf underneath.
I think it’s up to you how you interpret the room on the second level. It’s either a really nice reading area as part of the bookstore, or its part of an apartment. I like to think it’s part of the store. The grandfather clock is well designed and I like the printed clockface. The lamp in the corner makes this a great place to sit down with a coffee and read a book.
At the rear of this level you get a small balcony – just big enough for two chairs and a table. I like builds that give a little outside detail on the upper levels, even though this does make the room slightly smaller.
The top level is split down the middle rather than having a removable flat roof like previous modulars. I actually think this is a better way of doing things even though you can only really decorate half of the room. This top level features a simple bed and tank for a chameleon. I like that you can put the chameleon on the bed and have it blend in.
The front of the roof level features a lot of curves that soften the structure a bit. Rather than having a flat or peaked roof its a nice gentle curve. The curved tiles also carry those lines around the large window.
Moving next door we have the fantastic teal townhouse.
Unlike a lot of builds this one is slightly elevated, which means that we actually get a basement here. The basement kind of feels like an afterthought added because they wanted to have the cool stairs out the front. I don’t mind but it’s not exactly great. It’s not tall enough for a minifigure to stand.
The stairs out the front though are great. The fact that they curve is much better than just having a couple of straight stairs.
You also get a really cute little garden bed out the front, as well as a little garden out the back. The modulars all feel very inner-city so having a garden out the back of a house feels like an interesting point of difference.
The second level, or I guess you could say first, is the lounge and dining area of the townhouse. All of the details make it feel very homely – the potplant, the sunlounge in the bay window, the fireplace, the wooden cabinet in the corner. Super cosy and right next door to a bookshop – I kind of want to live there.
The top level is again split vertically. The larger half features a bedroom with some really great furnishings. I really like the bed even though it does feel a bit tucked away in a corner. The dresser is great but the little touch of the flower in a vase really adds to that homeliness that we found on the lower level.
On the rear half of the level we get another balcony. This one feels a little more spacious but it is lacking any furniture. It does have a little garden which is nice. I’ll never turn down some touches of foliage.
I adore both of these buildings. It’s always a worry with the split modular that you aren’t going to get as much detail in each half compared to a full width build – but that isn’t an issue here. Both builds feel like places you can picture the minifigures interacting in.
The minifigure line-up is a great mix of characters. There is a female minifigure that I am going to call the bookshop owner. She clearly lives upstairs so I am guessing she’s not a casual. Not a big fan of the hair element but that’s entirely a personal opinion.
We also have a male minifigure with a bunch of flowers. He’s either a creepy guy who thinks he’s got a shot with the woman at the bookstore who smiled at him once, or perhaps he’s actually her partner. That’s the fun with LEGO – you can create your own story.
Over on the townhouse side we have a lovely older couple. I’m thinking they are recently retired and loving having their grandson around. They are the grandparents that are still young enough to do fun stuff. They seem sweet and I just want to hang out with them.
There is also a young boy minifigure dressed for the cooler weather (see the tree, it’s Autumn).
Overall this set is outstanding. The modulars are always such a great building experience but this one is particularly charming. If you haven’t already added this to your collection I suggest you grab one as soon as you can.
This set was provided to me by LEGO to review. Opinions are my own.
I bought this one for my bookworm partner, and she just finished building it last weekend. She absolutely loved the build and is now contemplating on getting a lighting kit for it.
Half way through my build of this. Love the modular buildings. Great review, thanks.
Great review, Michael, thank you. I was so pleased we got a “traditional” modular this year after the last two. An enjoyable build, even if it’s not as detailed as some have been.
Love this set but had one little gripe – I feel like the top level of the blue building is slackly designed. The back wall is just a row of vertical bricks – the top four rows in particular don’t feel properly braced to me. I would normally have expected an L-shape at the corners to ensure that the wall had some structural integrity. It’s a tiny thing but one that leapt out me as unusual (and easily avoided) when I built it.
It’s also really interesting to put this side by side with the Pet Shop to see the changes over about a decade of the line. They have lots of similarities (1 shop / apartment and one elevated apartment with stairs and basement), and the Pet Shop is still a great set, but you can also see how they’ve progressed the builds.
Nice review! This was one of the most enjoyable modular builds Ive done so far. It went together quite quickly and was relatively easy to build, while still containing great details and architectural complexity.
Im glad someone else agrees the bookshop owner’s hair isnt the best. Overall it is a very homely build although the bookstore should’ve had more books. I reckon an isle in the middle with a similar build to the stand out the front would’ve been in order. Plus more actual book pieces!