Managed Decline
I love Brickmania. I know that another “the best days are behind us” post will probably seem boring to most of the people on this subreddit. But I feel like it would be a disservice to not give some customer feedback.
I am a proud owner of many brickmania sets, I very well may own over a 100 Minifigures and multiple kits including the HH-60G, the CH-53E and many others. My love for the hobby has cost me an arm and a leg and I was fine with that. But for the past year and a half I haven’t bought anything substantial from Brickmania. It’s not that my financial situation has changed, but that the kits and figures that are coming out are just not why I got into the hobby in the first place.
I might be part of a niche here but I am a firm believer in the fact that kits that have authenticity and research put into them are the best selling products in the military LEGO market. Recently, it feels like brickmania has made a sharp turn into more cartoon-type esthetics. A key example for me would be the new PJ’s, they are a massive downgrade from the previous versions. The SEALs are a good example too. The gear is oversized and inaccurate and it’s a big reason why I only really buy figures from the Minifig Co now. There’s no character to them. If a random Chinese knockoff company has more creativity and authenticity than Brickmania then there a problem. Plus the fact that I’ve seen brilliant creators attacked on instagram by the FOUNDER OF THE COMPANY for making a set that resembles a Brickmania kit is bad form. I mean how hard is it to look at the endless pictures online of these guys and their gear? At 40 buck per figure I don’t think it’s unreasonable to expect accuracy and detail. I know it’s possible because some of the World War II figures are amazing. But unfortunately that’s an over saturated market and it might just be me but I tend to see World War II on the market much longer than the modern ones.
Now I don’t have the info that Dan has, but when I see another obscure World War II vehicle hit the store for $200+ I think “who is realistically buying this?” Maybe I’m wrong. But the reality most of these kits can be bought as a scale model or on rebrickable for a fraction of the price. So go big! The best kits have always been iconic jets and tanks. If you need smaller kits? Cool! 90 percent of the people I’ve seen in your stores are in the military. Make a smoke pit kit or a 240 team or something authentic Because if I want a fantasy or call of duty play set I’m going somewhere cheaper. Need a new figure idea? What about delta? Or USMC force recon?
These problems to me seem like a creative problem, not a business problem.
These are just my thoughts, I still support brickmania and the incredible community they’ve created. But I would be lying if I said I was willing to spend the money I was back in 2022-24.