Join Blocks on a trip to the LEGO Store in search of the best LEGO brand sets, a colourful celebration of the LEGO hobby.
The best part of LEGO bricks is that you can build anything — including representations of LEGO Stores, sets and models. The LEGO Group has grown fond of releasing LEGO brand sets as a treat for fans and because the world can never be too meta. LEGO Store sets often aren’t the most interesting builds when it comes to scale or techniques used, but they’re fun little sets that let fans capture the feeling of heading to a real LEGO Store in their LEGO collections.
Outside of LEGO Store models, there has also been a healthy selection of LEGO delivery trucks released over the past few decades. These yellow tractor trailers are based on real yellow trucks the LEGO Group used in the 1990s for promotional events. The in-universe LEGO trucks have been repurposed as the company’s standard delivery trucks, bringing the joy of the brick to minifigures young and old. And Blocks, the monthly LEGO magazine, is joining the fun and listing the five best LEGO brand sets released to date.
40574 LEGO Brand Store
At first glance, 40574 LEGO Brand Store appears to be one of the best brick-built LEGO stores ever made. The façade comes complete with a line of masonry bricks along the sidewalk, floor-to-ceiling windows and columns in each corner — not to mention the LEGO sign hanging high above the door. And things only get better when you head inside; there’s a Pick a Brick wall, huge models on display and a giant selection of sets to choose from. But where 49574 falls short is in its baffling decision to not include a roof. A third of the store is covered by the upper level, but the back half and first floor get no shelter from the elements. It’s not too big a pain to add your own ceiling, but it’s frustrating such an otherwise excellent building is missing a crucial part of the structure.
1525 LEGO Container Lorry
By far the smallest of the sets on this list, 1525 LEGO Container Lorry is a brilliant miniature delivery truck from 1986. It may not be as impressive on display as later delivery truck sets, but it has a nostalgic charm to it. One minifigure is tasked with handling all aspects of delivery. There’s space in the cabin for him to drive, then the two containers on the back can be lifted off to make unloading the sets a bit easier — a feature not present in newer sets. LEGO sets are represented here with plain 2×2 blue bricks, starting a trend for the colours used in future sets.
3221 LEGO Truck
Jumping forward two and a half decades lands the LEGO shipping industry at 3221 LEGO Truck from 2010. There’s perhaps nothing better to say about 3221 than that it just looks right at home in this era of LEGO City. It uses some newer pieces and certainly looks more modern than 1525 LEGO Container Lorry, but it maintains the blocky look of LEGO City vehicles from the time. Just a handful of large elements make up the bulk of the trailer, including some with a large LEGO logo and two doors so the minifigures can unload the cargo. The miniaturised LEGO sets now come with printed details, though they still use blue as the base colour.
Upgrade your LEGO hobby! If you take out a subscription to Blocks, the monthly LEGO magazine, you’ll get each issue first and at a discount, plus other perks including a free digital subscription and the chance to win LEGO prizes every month.
40305 Microscale LEGO Brand Store
40305 Microscale LEGO Brand Store is a bit deceptive in its name. Compared to the real thing, the store is undeniably micro, but its far from what is typically considered to be a microscale build. The two minifigures included will have no problem fitting through the door and enjoying the store. Much like 40574 LEGO Brand Store, this set has a Pick a Brick wall, large models and sets for sale. The façade is slightly less interesting than the other set, but the inclusion of a well-detailed and easy to remove roof make it the clear winner when comparing them. The flags hanging outside are a nice touch, too.
60440 Yellow Delivery Truck
Oddly, 60440 Yellow Delivery Truck might be the least yellow of the three trucks on this list. Black replaces most of the colour around the wheels, and the decorated side panels are mostly white with bricks of all colours floating about. Just as 3221 LEGO Truck was representative of its era, 60440 beautifully shows off what the brick can do in 2024. Excellent shaping can be found all over the cabin, and even parts of the giant trailer are rounded off, making for a smoother looking model. A forklift is included this time around — a helpful tool for the workers sure to make the poor minifigure from 1525 jealous. It has no trouble moving the pallets of LEGO sets where they need to go. A hot dog stand rounds out the set for some reason, and while it’s a bizarre inclusion, it’s a hot dog stand that looks like a giant hot dog, so there’s really no reason to complain.
What’s your favourite of the LEGO brand sets? Let Blocks know on any of our social media channels.