There was a time when a trip to Blockbuster on a Friday night was as much a ritual as popcorn at the movies. The blue-and-yellow storefronts, the endless aisles of VHS tapes, the rush to grab the last copy of Jurassic Park before someone else did—it was an era defined by the tangible, the physical, the communal experience of picking out a film. Then, seemingly overnight, it was gone. Streaming took over, and Netflix—once a scrappy DVD rental service that Blockbuster had the chance to buy for $50 million—became the juggernaut that rewrote entertainment history. But for those who still remember the joy of late fees and rewinding tapes, LEGO’s Blockbuster modular building brings it all back, one brick at a time.
This LEGO build is like traveling back in time, and comes packed packed with the little details that made Blockbuster so iconic. From the classic ticket-shaped sign to the aisles stacked with tiny VHS cases, it captures the feeling of stepping back into the ’90s. The modular structure means it fits seamlessly into a LEGO cityscape, but it also stands alone as a tribute to a lost era. The exterior nails the look—flat-roofed, big glass windows, and that unmistakable color scheme. There’s even a parking lot, because what was a Blockbuster without the struggle of finding a spot on a Saturday night?
Designer: Brazilian LEGO
The build comes from the mind of LEGO enthusiast ‘Brazilian LEGO’, who also talked about how the iconic video rental service made a massive cultural and generational impact in their own home country of Brazil. “Founded in 1985 in Dallas, USA, the company has been present in 26 countries with more than 4500 stores and has shaped the childhood and youth of many millennials like me,” Brazilian LEGO mentions in their MOC description. “I believe that a set like this will bring a lot of nostalgia to many millennials or everyone who lived in the 80s, 90s, and 00s,” they add.
Brazilian LEGO doesn’t specify how many bricks make up the entire MOC (My Own Creation), but my estimate is that it’s probably near or over a thousand. There are tonnes of tiny details on the inside as well as the outside. You have two minifigures in the Blockbuster employee uniform, with enough details around them like a hydrant, a street lamp, a dumpster, venting on the building’s terrace, and for some weirdly quirky reason, a few VHS tapes just lying around on the terrace like forgotten relics.
Step inside, and the memories come flooding back. A welcome mat at the entrance sets the stage, inviting minifigures to browse the rows of tapes, neatly arranged by genre. The build features classic LEGO tile pieces used as VHS tapes, adding that extra level of realism. A special aisle is dedicated to video games because let’s not forget—Blockbuster was the go-to spot for renting GoldenEye 007 or Tony Hawk’s Pro Skater for the weekend. And of course, there’s a checkout counter complete with a dropbox for returns, a tiny but crucial detail for those who remember the anxiety of getting tapes back before late fees piled up.
The snack section is a love letter to every kid who convinced their parents to throw in some overpriced popcorn and candy at checkout. There are soda bottles, snack boxes, and yes, a popcorn machine, because no trip to Blockbuster was complete without the smell of buttered nostalgia filling the air. Even the placement of these elements feels deliberate, designed to evoke the layout of real stores—wide aisles, neatly categorized sections, and that subtle pressure to pick a movie before closing time.
It’s easy to look at Blockbuster now as a cautionary tale—a titan of home entertainment that failed to adapt. But for a generation of movie lovers, it was something else entirely. It was browsing cover art, debating movie night choices with friends, and making last-minute swaps at the register. This LEGO set isn’t just a build—it’s a tribute, a way to hold onto that feeling in a world that’s moved on. And just like any great LEGO set, it ends the way Blockbuster nights always did: with everything snapped into place, right where it belongs.
With nearly 6,000 votes already, the LEGO Ideas Blockbuster kit is inching towards its 10,000 vote goal. If you’d like to see it get recognized by LEGO’s internal team and possibly even turned into a box set, head down to the LEGO Ideas website and cast your vote!
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