RedBaron4850 Posted March 27, 2014 Posted March 27, 2014 I have always wanted to build a bigger grand emporium and have been searching google for a long time now looking at everyone's MOD's. Some of them look really great and some just look like a big box. Long story short i was rotating my setup around on the table and my Grand Emporium fell to the ground and shattered into about 1000 little pieces. So I bought another so I had a reason for rebuilding it. As i have only two sets for now, I chose to go with a 48x48 base and an L shaped design. This is the design i liked the most for the exterior. http://www.eurobrick...showtopic=76794 As the first GE was shattered, I build the new building from the ground up with bricks from both sets. I took the base patterns and extended them out to make it grander. The bottom floor will be children's clothes and maybe men's There will be two escalators, an an extended register, a back storage room and either 1 or 2 dressing rooms. The first floor is almost done. The back storage area has been built and the counter is up. I need to finish the sidewalk outside but will do that after the final build. The dressing rooms and racks and shelves still need to be built The start of the second floor. It's going to be huge with over 792 studs of floor space. I was thinking women's clothing but I just don't think I have enough women's minifigs to use for clothes. Maybe housewares also or something. The second story exterior is now about half way built. I will be working on this the next few days to get the entire exterior finished. Stay tuned! Quote
lightningtiger Posted March 27, 2014 Posted March 27, 2014 Now that's starting to look GRAND 'RedBaron4850'.....keep going and Brick On ! Quote
Xyver Posted March 28, 2014 Posted March 28, 2014 The GE does look a lot better at 48x48 rather than standard 32x32, I did the same to mine (http://www.eurobricks.com/forum/index.php?showtopic=76794&hl=) The main difference I can see is that I kept my escalators together rather than at opposite ends of the store. I look forward to seeing your completed build to see what you do with the increased size. Quote
TheLazyChicken Posted March 28, 2014 Posted March 28, 2014 Great job so far! I am interested to see what comes next. Keep up the good work! Quote
RedBaron4850 Posted March 28, 2014 Author Posted March 28, 2014 The GE does look a lot better at 48x48 rather than standard 32x32, I did the same to mine (http://www.eurobrick...topic=76794&hl=) The main difference I can see is that I kept my escalators together rather than at opposite ends of the store. I look forward to seeing your completed build to see what you do with the increased size. That's funny, I linked to that in my original post. The main difference between the two, is that my build is one floor at a time rather than adding on to the original Quote
Xyver Posted March 28, 2014 Posted March 28, 2014 That's funny, I linked to that in my original post. The main difference between the two, is that my build is one floor at a time rather than adding on to the original Honestly, I didn't check that link you put up, and I really didn't expect it would be mine! Mine was totally rebuilt from scratch as well. The rear section with the arch was a bit of a pain to work out the right size for. By extending the sides, it didn't work as well as the original plan. Did you just leave that bit out altogether and extend the building? I also redid the change rooms to make better use of the space. How are you going with parts usage? are you having to dig into your spares or only using those from the two sets? Quote
RedBaron4850 Posted March 28, 2014 Author Posted March 28, 2014 (edited) Honestly, I didn't check that link you put up, and I really didn't expect it would be mine! Mine was totally rebuilt from scratch as well. The rear section with the arch was a bit of a pain to work out the right size for. By extending the sides, it didn't work as well as the original plan. Did you just leave that bit out altogether and extend the building? I also redid the change rooms to make better use of the space. How are you going with parts usage? are you having to dig into your spares or only using those from the two sets? The building sides are 24 studs on the sides and 40 in the front. Each side of the building mirrors the opposite side of the building. I left out the archway and built a back office or storage room most likely on the first floor. I am just now finishing the layer above the dark brown on the second floor and piece usage is looking alright. I have had to use a few spare parts but not more than 10-20 bricks all together thus far. It was really only for the floor i needed a few tiles to make the entire thing. The sides seem to be holding up well possibly even with extra pieces left over. Will post pictures soon of the completed second level exterior. First floor showing the register and back storage room. I am thinking of putting a bathroom in or dressing rooms in the empty space near the back wall. The second floor is nothing special but it is just so huge! I am not sure what i will put in here The exterior as it sits right now. I will work on the 3rd floor tomorrow. Edited March 28, 2014 by RedBaron4850 Quote
Wodanis Posted March 30, 2014 Posted March 30, 2014 Now this is a Grand Emporium! Great work so far RedBaron. Quote
AFOLguy1970 Posted March 31, 2014 Posted March 31, 2014 Looking good! This will certainly grant you a lot of floor space on the inside. I look forward to seeing how this turns out. Quote
LegoSjaak Posted March 31, 2014 Posted March 31, 2014 Oh yeah, this is how it should be done... great work!!!!!!!!!! Quote
rollermonkey Posted March 31, 2014 Posted March 31, 2014 Suggestion? On the ground floor, you could put a pair of side-by-side dressing rooms, still using the capes for curtains, but with brick wall sides, you wouldn't need to bend the curtain rod, so you could run one rod straight across both openings. Quote
Hobbythom Posted March 31, 2014 Posted March 31, 2014 Looking great so far. The large size fits the architecture better. As to what to fill the store with I'd build a few different counters with products. It fills space quickly. Let them sell what you have a lot of: tools, cups, binoculars.. You know the stuff that you get in every set. A small restaurant or coffeecorner could be a good filler aswell! Looking forward to more pics! Quote
B Rick Posted March 31, 2014 Posted March 31, 2014 Buying two of one particular set is the way to go to do some decen modding. Looking good so far! Quote
lightningtiger Posted March 31, 2014 Posted March 31, 2014 It's getting better all the time.......you do need an ironmongery department......that's kitchenware and hardware to everyone else ! Keep going and Brick On 'RedBaron4850' ! Quote
Legogal Posted March 31, 2014 Posted March 31, 2014 This looks wonderful because now you have space for essential departments like cookware mentioned above by LT. Sporting goods, jewelry, shoes, coats, scarves, furniture, toys, china and silverware are also some possibilities. Nordstrom is a stellar US department store, and offers a good example of what such a store might carry. Its cafe is a lovely place to meet friends and serves outstanding food while providing a break from shopping for the ladies. And it serves at a wonderful outing for new moms with a huge ladies lounge perfect for nursing and changing your baby. The first Nordstrom on the US East Coast (Tyson's Corner near DC) opened when my son was 3 days old, and was the first outing we made when I could drive again at ten days. So don't forget to add lots of moms pushing baby strollers! I tend to purchase two sets of the mods I like so that they can easily be expanded because interior space is so limited. And this gives you the option of expanding the building years later when you have the time and space without having to pay exorbitant prices for retired sets. Just picked up extra Parisian Restaurant and Pet Shop sets for this reason. Quote
3BrickFriends Posted March 31, 2014 Posted March 31, 2014 I love it. I prefer going up in height purely because I have limited display space, but the GE building really needs height or width to make it great. I'm filling my double height GE interior at moment, its painful on cost compared to the actual building. Have you got your interior pieces yet? Quote
scottwb2010 Posted April 1, 2014 Posted April 1, 2014 Really liking your version of the Grand Emporium. The 48x48 plate size gives this model a "grander" look which IMO looks better than the 32x32 as feel that size doesn't do it justice and needs modded with at least a 2nd GE. Lok forward o seeing more updates on your progress. Quote
RedBaron4850 Posted April 2, 2014 Author Posted April 2, 2014 (edited) Wow! Thanks for all of the replies. This is my first MOD but I'm very pleased with it thus far. I have just started working on the 3rd floor and should have pictures up in the next day or two! edit: I really like the interior that Sin has created as a mod for the original GE Links to it below http://www.eurobricks.com/forum/index.php?showtopic=90595 Edited April 3, 2014 by RedBaron4850 Quote
LAKAbricks Posted April 2, 2014 Posted April 2, 2014 Grand Emporium looks good as it is sold - a single modular. But certainly no harm is done when it is expanded to this size either. I am looking forward to see where this is going to end. Not least with the interior which is where the MOD'er/MOC'er really can stand out. Please, don't feel any pressure here Quote
mrpoindexter Posted April 4, 2014 Posted April 4, 2014 Looks good so far. I did just this same thing with my Palace Cinema. Both that and the GE were dropped by my wife. The GE was put back together and the Palace Cinema became the Palace IMAX. I guess it is time to break out the next GE set and upsize it. Quote
LegoSjaak Posted April 6, 2014 Posted April 6, 2014 I Got my second GE last Friday.... will start soon with expanding my already built GE with 16 studs on both sides.. not sure if i put it on a 48x48 baseplate or if i add two 16x32 darkgray baseplates on each side... I rebuilt 4 sets of the 4954 Town House this weekend and sold them for Eur 100,- each.. that is where i will pay my second GE partly with... !! Greetz LegoSjaak Quote
RedBaron4850 Posted April 7, 2014 Author Posted April 7, 2014 Just a quick update. I have finished the exterior of the building and am currently working on the interior. Once I'm happy with it more pictures will follow. Stay tuned Quick shot with the roof off Quote
ronenson Posted April 7, 2014 Posted April 7, 2014 Very nice. That's some serious shopping surface you got there. Quote
Boettner Builds Posted April 8, 2014 Posted April 8, 2014 I LOVE how this turned out! I'm going to be doing the same with my GE, But I'm going to add another floor. Did you use all of the pieces from the second GE, or did you have some leftovers? Quote
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