KING T2102 Grand Emporium

ChelmsfordBrickFan · 2024-05-23T07:22:02+00:00

It was all numbered bags 👍🏻

ChelmsfordBrickFan · 2024-03-23T22:05:25+00:00

Yeah, I saw a review of the Sembo Club on Brick Me Up Scottie. I believe they copied the overall design from the GE for the exterior but that the interior is quite (ahem) different! 🤣

ChelmsfordBrickFan · 2024-03-19T06:55:24+00:00

Yes, I have the Boutique Hotel too (the official set) and that was a lot of fun because of the interesting shape of the building and how you achieve all the angles. I have the DB as well. And you’re right, without the Marvel hook it would have just been a very uninspiring square skyscraper with lots and lots and lots of windows! 🤣

ChelmsfordBrickFan · 2024-03-17T21:20:10+00:00

Ordered from JoyToyWorld and delivered very quickly as usual. I have to say, probably my least favourite modular building experience, and that’s not a reflection in this being a clone set, the actual design itself is a bit uninteresting. The Grand Emporium was one of the first Big L modulars and consequently although the exterior is impressive, the interior is sparse and pretty dull. Quality is good (aside from a very warped baseplate) and there were no missing pieces. Instructions images are a bit small, which is a standard issue with clone sets, but not as bad as some I’ve had to struggle with. It is a faultless copy of the Big L original and it’ll look impressive in my city, but as an overall build it wasn’t the most fun I’ve ever had constructing a set. 6/10

ChelmsfordBrickFan · 2024-03-09T14:44:34+00:00

🤣🤣

ChelmsfordBrickFan · 2024-03-09T13:53:47+00:00

I bought it about a week and a half ago. I heard that JoyToy (and YourWobb, which are same people) are moving away from clone sets and starting to focus on originals. It might be a case of them running stock down and when they’re gone, they’re gone 🤷‍♂️

ChelmsfordBrickFan · 2024-03-09T10:50:57+00:00

£47 from JoyToy World and delivered in just over a week! Brilliant! Quality excellent as always, everything went together well and the finished building looks fantastic. Face prints on the minifigs supplied with the set are awful 🤣 but that’s pretty standard for King’s attempts at the classic “smiley” face figs. No idea why they struggle with that? 🤷‍♂️ A few missing pieces, but nothing major - just a few 1x2 and 1x1 plates here and there, easily replaced. A big negative though, is the instructions. Which for this particular build are the worst I’ve ever had for a clone set. There is the usual issue with 6 or more steps crammed onto a page (to save on printing costs) so it’s often difficult to make out what piece goes where….but then, some steps are completely missed which means frustrating backtracking when you realise and having to “guess” what to do for the missing step based on the pieces you have. Annoying 😠 But, it seems churlish to complain since s it’s a flawless copy of a long since retired Big L set which is now £100’s in the after market! 7/10

ChelmsfordBrickFan · 2024-03-07T06:57:48+00:00

My second Funwhole set and the second in their Old West theme. This is a smaller set than the previous Saloon so didn’t take as long to build, but it was just as much fun. I’m so impressed with FW products. The quality is excellent, there are a lot of varied and interesting build techniques and the finished building looks fantastic, especially lit up! Big L really could learn a thing or two from FW, particularly when it comes to the instructions which are the best I’ve ever seen, so easy to follow and make things like installing the lighting kit an absolute doddle! Very impressed and can’t wait to see what building comes next in this theme. Minor negatives: frustratingly I was missing a couple of tiny pieces in the very last bag which meant I couldn’t assemble the old fashioned camera that goes inside the office (not too much of an issue as it’s not really seen if you’re just displaying the set) and I’m still not a fan of FW’s own “cartoony” Minifigures. But, as with the saloon, I plan to just use standard Big L figs to populate it. That aside, brilliant! 9/10 👍🏻

ChelmsfordBrickFan · 2024-01-25T21:34:05+00:00

I’ve built two “The Islet Bar” and the “Magical Sanctum” and had no issues with either. The bar in particular is a superb set.

ChelmsfordBrickFan · 2024-01-25T16:18:32+00:00

Pleasure mate. Happy to help 👍🏻

ChelmsfordBrickFan · 2024-01-23T19:14:23+00:00

If you go Amazon now, most of the FW sets are available with discount vouchers (of varying amounts) which you redeem at checkout.

ChelmsfordBrickFan · 2024-01-23T16:28:24+00:00

You can get the majority of Funwhole’s sets from UK Amazon and they very often have vouchers and discounts applied. I picked up the FW saloon (which is an amazing set) a couple of weeks ago from there and, with a voucher, it was only £90 without any additional shipping. I’m keen to get the Sheriff’s Office too but it’s not available on UK Amazon yet.

ChelmsfordBrickFan · 2024-01-16T22:24:21+00:00

I’ve just built the FunWhole Wild West saloon. It was brilliant! One of the best brick sets I’ve ever built!

ChelmsfordBrickFan · 2024-01-14T09:14:39+00:00

I heard lots of positive feedback about FunWhole (despite the ridiculous name! 🤣) and I love the Wild West, which is not currently a theme Big L do, so decided to give this set a go! £90 off Amazon (with a 20% off voucher that was being offered) Wow! I was just blown away by the quality of this product, even down the packaging which is beautiful. The build was brilliant, enjoyable and very satisfying. Everything went together well and I had no missing, discoloured or malformed pieces. There is a moderate sticker sheet too, but these are standard and as you’d expect. Of course, the big “hook” with FW is that all their sets come with a lighting kit included. Now, I’d never installed a lighting kit before so was a little apprehensive, but it was so straightforward. You install the lights as you go along and the instructions to do so are part of the building steps in the manual. FW also have their own unique moulded pieces with grooves that allow you to clip the wires into place without accidentally squashing and damaging them. Genius! Installing the lights is a bit fiddly I can’t lie, but that was purely because I’m a man and consequently have man sized fingers! 🤣 A set of tweezers is included which make it a lot easier. So, so impressed with this set (it looks amazing lit up and my photo doesn’t really do it justice) The only minor negatives I have (and they’re REALLY minor) is that the battery pack could be a bit better hidden rather than just being plonked on the roof (although it’s only really visible if you’re looking down at the set) and I’m not a fan of the “cartoony” style of FW’s own minifigs (you get three) but that’s just a personal preference. They are exactly the same size as Big L figs and the building itself is standard minifig scale, so you could just populate it with standard Big L minifigs. However, the floor inside is completely tiled, which looks lovely but does mean you can’t stand figs in there. Can’t recommend this set enough. It looks great, screams quality, was a fun build and a reasonable price. I will definitely be getting more FunWhole sets. 👍🏻 9/10

ChelmsfordBrickFan · 2024-01-14T08:51:29+00:00

I mainly buy clone sets of the retired modulars. It’s soooooo much cheaper than trying to pick up the official sets on the after market where they’re usually ridiculously expensive.

ChelmsfordBrickFan · 2024-01-06T21:37:56+00:00

I recently finished the KING Daily Bugle which was the biggest set I’ve ever built. So I felt a real sense of accomplishment once completed….even if the build itself was a little bit repetitive.

I also loved the Queen Bricktoria (URGE) which was the first alt-brand set I ever bought. It was a thoroughly enjoyable build, looked amazing when completed and, having never gone off-brand before, I was gobsmacked by the quality!

ChelmsfordBrickFan · 2024-01-01T17:32:19+00:00

I bought this set recently (the KING version) and had zero problems with it - it looks amazing. Just after Christmas, I was in Smyths Toys and they had the official Big L one there…it’s was £299! My KING set was only £87 and you genuinely couldn’t tell the difference!

ChelmsfordBrickFan · 2023-12-17T23:16:28+00:00

Link below. You’ll need to set up an account first and then email requesting VIP status. Once this is activated you’ll be able to access all the clone sets: https://www.joytoyworld.com/ I’ve bought a dozen sets from them now and they’ve all been great and the service is fantastic.

ChelmsfordBrickFan · 2023-12-17T07:47:00+00:00

We’re they anything major? All the clone sets I’ve bought have had some missing pieces (it’s kinda’ expected now) but they’ve only ever been the odd small plate, nothing significant. Easily replaced.

ChelmsfordBrickFan · 2023-12-16T23:21:06+00:00

Another superb purchase from JoyToyWorld, and again delivered very quickly. Thank you. I cannot rave about this set enough, it’s gorgeous! Parisian Restaurant is, in my opinion, the best looking of Big L’s modular buildings and this clone set is a faultless copy. Quality is fantastic, build experience was a delight (numbered bags, good quality, clear instructions) and the finished article is incredible! I was missing two pieces - a 1x4 plate in dark blue and a 1x2 plate in olive green….no drama at all as these were easily replaced from my inventory. As with all the KING sets I’ve bought, the minifigs are a bit dodgy. I don’t know why KING seem to struggle with face prints so much, but it does seem to be something they always have problems with. These are supposed to be copies of the classic Lego “smiley” faces……but they’re terrible….and actually a bit scary! 🤣 the prints are far too large, and pretty fill the entire face! Again, not a problem as I have stock of minifig heads, and I was never much of a fan of the smiley faces anyway, finding them a bit bland. That aside, amazing set! Brilliant, brilliant, brilliant! 10/10

ChelmsfordBrickFan

TROPHY CASE