Before any Lego creations can be erected, the first order of business for a five-some ownership group is transforming the retail location one brick at a time.

A group of five Grant Park and Beecher friends are pushing ahead on plans to open a Bricks & Minifigs in the 2,900-square-foot business once known as Best Mattress.

Wondering what Bricks & Minifigs is? You may not be alone.

In the world of children’s toys – and even those who have graduated to adulthood – Bricks & Minifigs, simply put, are the Lego pieces used to build the wide assortment of structures or almost anything the mind can imagine.

While the Lego bricks are self explanatory, minifigs are the small individual characters which are included in Lego sets.

A Bricks & Minifigs is basically a one-stop shop for Lego lovers. The businesses focus on providing retired, rare and current Lego sets.

In short, it is the construction zone for lovers of Lego – all ages welcome.

These aftermarket resellers, which started in 2010 when the first store opened in Battle Ground, Washington, often feature upwards of 1,000 Lego sets and Bradley will be no exception. The ownership group currently has some 800 sets and plans to have 5,000 minifigs.

Located at 2020 Bradley Boulevard, nestled between Maurices and Shoe Carnival, the site is currently undergoing a major transformation and is expected to be ready for Lego lovers by late April.

There are some 300 Bricks & Minifigs scattered across the United States. The Bradley store is number 279.

The ownership group is comprised of husband-and-wife team Cory and Christena Estby and son, Gabriel, of Grant Park, and husband and wife, Erik and Karen Sorensen, of Beecher.

Big investment

The group of five is in the process of an approximate $400,000 investment, which includes being a sought-after Bricks & Minifigs franchisee.

Crockett Construction of Bourbonnais is transforming the property.

They note there are Bricks & Minifigs locations in Crest Hill, Schaumburg, Niles and Algonquin, but each has their defined territory.

As of now, the goal is to have the store remodel complete by late March to early April. A grand opening, complete with a food truck and an on-site Lego Master, is tentatively set for April 25.

Christena Estby admitted no more than 18 or so months ago, becoming an owner-operator of a toy store – or any small business, for that matter – was not on her “to do” list.

“Being a small business owner was never on my bucket list,” she said. “But I guess I can checked that off now.”

The Estbys said their younger sons, Samuel, 12, and Josiah, 10, are a big part of the “why” behind this business venture.

Both have Duchenne Muscular Dystrophy, a progressive muscle-wasting disease. Both also have a huge passion for everything Lego.

The Estbys said they “love the idea of bringing the joy of Lego to the surrounding communities, while also finding a way to keep their young sons engaged in the community and filled with a sense of purpose and ownership, despite their eventual physical limitations.”

Karen Sorensen, a pediatric nurse, said the goal of the family-minded operation is to continuously restock the shelves with different sets. She wants the store inventory to be in constant motion as repeat customers come through seeking new sets.

The owners are having a party room constructed as well. They believe the room will be ideal for children’s birthday parties and all-ages building events.

‘Let’s do it’

“I love kids and interacting with kids,” Sorensen said. “When they shared this idea, I said ‘It’s amazing. Let’s do it.’”

They have visited numerous Bricks & Minifigs locations. They also visited a few local sites seeking a location to erect their business.

When they toured the former Best Mattress in the Bradley Commons Shopping Center, they knew they had found their site.

They said the just-opened 315 Bradley Sports Park and the pending Mattel Wonder Indoor Waterpark, to be developed near the Northfield Square mall, made this the spot to start stacking Legos.

“It’s been a crazy 13 months,” said Christena.

That description came from an adult. From youngest Estby son, Josiah, the perspective is much different.

“I thought this was a good idea,” he said as he looked around the work site which will soon be a store filled with Legos and young shoppers. “I don’t think there’s anyone who doesn’t like Legos.”

There are five business owners banking on that statement.