Would older retire Modular Buildings be remade?

[Lion King]

Hello folks!

Just thought this may be good to make a new topi outside of “Modular Buildings Sets - Rumors, Discussions” and “Modular Building  Wishlist” threads. If you think it’s unnecessary to make this topic, please be my guest to close/delete this thread (I’m speaking directly to moderators). 

Now, allow me to ask you - Will Lego revisit and remake the older, retired Modular Buildings, such as Cafe Corner, Green Grocer, Fire Brigade,  etc?

I ask because I just start collecting the Modular Buildings sets that are still on the shelves, such as Police Station, Boutique Hotel, Jazz Club,  Bookshop. I want to hunt and catch retired Modular Buildings in the secondary market. To be honest, I am not very pleased with wild price tags on those old buildings. As a new collector, I feel Lego should revisit and remake the retired modular buildings. It may be a “win” for me and other new fans/collectors. Also, there are so many new building techniques, new parts, new colors tha the retired sets don’t have - I think it would be ery nice to see designers do that. Of Ouse, Lego would recieve backlash from the “veteran” collectors who already have Cafe Corner, Fire Brigade, etc becuase they want to get new buildings, like hopsital, school, etc.  in other word, Lego would get backlashes from both sides. 

So….What is your thought?

[Horation]

A good trick for retired modulars is Bricklink-look at the set's part list and see what you already have (usually at least 20-30% of the parts, since a lot of them are of common colours and sizes), you can then purchase just the parts from sellers-instead of paying 2 000 you will pay 200-500 for the parts (often less if you accept a few recolours of some rare parts). As for your main idea, maybe a similar but different set? Like a restaurant that's inspired by the café, but still looks different stylistically?

[MAB]

15 hours ago, Lion King said:

Now, allow me to ask you - Will Lego revisit and remake the older, retired Modular Buildings, such as Cafe Corner, Green Grocer, Fire Brigade,  etc?

So….What is your thought?

In my view, no. LEGO have been creating much more detailed (inside and out) Modulars over the past half a decade or so, with a higher price point to match of course. If they want to do another fire station or cafe on a corner, then they should do a new design to modern standards and style. If they did a new restaurant or cafe on a corner that was very different to CC then they'd be fine. It can still go into a row with previous similar buildings without looking like a repeat. If they did another FB or TH then there would be more of an issue seeing as one of these is enough. It might end up with those collectors skipping that year's model. And once they skip one, they don't have a complete collection so are more likely to skip others in future.

[Lyichir]

Generally when Lego designers have been asked this they've explained reasons why it's not likely to happen. One part of it is the lack of detail of older modulars, and retired parts in many of the oldest ones. But another factor is simply a smaller audience for rereleases—a rerelease would mostly appeal to people who had missed out on the original, whereas a new one would appeal to all the same people plus the people who already had the older modulars. Plus a rerelease would have to compete with the availability of the "original" on the aftermarket (especially since despite high prices for mint-in-box modulars, it's still possible to get a good deal on old modulars used if you're lucky enough to find somebody parting with their collection).

[Lion King]

On 7/3/2023 at 8:34 AM, MAB said:

In my view, no. LEGO have been creating much more detailed (inside and out) Modulars over the past half a decade or so, with a higher price point to match of course. If they want to do another fire station or cafe on a corner, then they should do a new design to modern standards and style. If they did a new restaurant or cafe on a corner that was very different to CC then they'd be fine. It can still go into a row with previous similar buildings without looking like a repeat. If they did another FB or TH then there would be more of an issue seeing as one of these is enough. It might end up with those collectors skipping that year's model. And once they skip one, they don't have a complete collection so are more likely to skip others in future.

They will recieve a backlash from new collectors then, I suppose.

However, I agree i with you on what you said about Modulars being repeated - that’s what I was talking about - “remake” part (Not release). It is where I’m standing. I just don’t think the would re-release “original” Modular sets. A new look for a cafe on a corner is acceptable. 

However, I’m okay with another fire brigade or town hall as long as they are competely different buildings in a different era, IMO. We don’t need another 1930s Fire Brigade.. 

[MAB]

17 hours ago, Lion King said:

They will recieve a backlash from new collectors then, I suppose.

 

They have done since Corner Cafe retired and starting increasing in price.

 In a way, they have already done remakes of Cafe Corner in the sense that they have done another hotel and they have done multiple other eateries. A street with multiple hotels and eateries doesn't look so bad as it is realistic. Yet if they do a new Fire Station or Town Hall it would look odd for those that already have the originals.

If a new collector doesn't have Cafe Corner (or any other missing modular) in their collection, does it matter? Their street would still look good and only they and other LEGO collectors know they are missing one (or more) from the collection. If LEGO did a very close but updated version of Cafe Corner then new collectors would still be missing the original version, and they and other LEGO collectors would know they are still missing the original. The new and slightly different version doesn't complete their collection. Unless they re-release an exact copy of the old, their collection is incomplete. Exact or close copies are also a turn off for existing collectors - do they buy it and have two buildings look very similar or do they skip it and no longer have a complete collection themselves? And if they skip that one why bother collecting future ones if they are OK but not exciting especially if you no longer have a complete collection that 'needs' to be kept complete. This is what happened to me with CMF. I was complete up to S15, but I got bored with slightly different repeats and decided not to buy all of them any more. Once I was no longer complete there was less of a need to buy any figures unless I really liked them whereas in the past I would have got them just to remain complete. I now buy maybe 1-2 figures per series. I also realised as I wasn't complete there was no point in keeping past figures that were not so interesting that I was only keeping to be complete in the past. So I sold off probably 2/3 of my collection. I think that is a danger with Modulars too, if they start repeating buildings that existing collectors do not need. It is a different timescale and cost, new designs coming  around only once per year but each is a large price. If I still had a Fire Brigade (I sold mine) and they brought out another one for $300, I'd skip it as I wouldn't need two. Whereas if they did a hospital or something new to both old and new collectors, both are happy with that year's set.

[Lion King]

10 hours ago, MAB said:

They have done since Corner Cafe retired and starting increasing in price.

 In a way, they have already done remakes of Cafe Corner in the sense that they have done another hotel and they have done multiple other eateries. A street with multiple hotels and eateries doesn't look so bad as it is realistic. Yet if they do a new Fire Station or Town Hall it would look odd for those that already have the originals.

They already had done that? I am not aware. I guess my head was in the ground…

I guess I’m in a minority (much than I think) then… You may be right that it looks odd if veteran collectors have two fire stations or two town halls or whatever. But as the town continues evolving into a city with more than the existing 18 modular buildings, I won’t think it’s odd to have two different fire stations in a big city layout.  My hometown has two fire stations petty close to each other like 3 miles apart. Once again, we don’t need another1930s fire station. 

I appreicate that you share your opinions/thoughts.