10-31-2022 4:47am

Boyertown Brickworks— a Business Built for Fun and Families

Boyertown Brickworks owner Joe Nicely shows off a selection of LEGO sets.

by Jane Stahl

It’s true: “Those who play together, stay together.” Research proves what our common sense has told us throughout our lives.

Owner Joe Nicely has been playing with LEGOS his entire life. And consider this: at one time his private collection had become so large that he considered renting a third storage unit to house his latest acquisitions.

For years, Joe shopped collections he found on Facebook, flea markets, and internet sites posted by families who were downsizing and cleaning out attics or toy stores that had closed or lost their franchises. He bought complete sets, individual bricks, or ordered in bulk. To say he was obsessed with his acquisitions is a bit of an understatement.

Joe eventually realized that it was time to start sharing his collection with others—selling and trading. After setting down roots in the Boyertown area eight years ago, to be close to his children, he patiently looked for the right space to become available. And finally, this dedicated collector opened Boyertown Brickworks, a self-described family business, on Oct. 1, 2022, at 10 South Reading Avenue, Boyertown, PA.

“It’s a perfect space,” Joe offers. “And with the help of my dad, my son Kieran, a minifig expert and high school student—even with my day job in data entry—we are able to be open for business.

“We lucked out,” he continues, “just in time for the opening, a huge load of NEW sets arrived: UCS Gunships, Disney Castles, Thor's Hammers, Optimus Primes, New City, Harry Potter, Marvel, and Star Wars.

Joe comes from a military family and is a veteran himself. He has lived in assorted locations around the world. LEGOS have been his consistent “companion” through many moves.

Boyertown Brickworks is unique to the immediate area. While there is an official LEGO store in King of Prussia, people previously had to travel to Lancaster, PA, or five or six stores in New Jersey in order to buy or trade in second hand merchandise.

The store features about 25% of what Joe has available to sell or trade. As his customers come looking for a specific piece or set, he can probably provide it for them, if not immediately from the shelves, within a few days, after a trip to his “warehouse” –the basement of Glocker Real Estate in Gilbertsville.

The store itself is outfitted for fun. Themed LEGO sets and hundreds of minifigs line the unique shelves and are housed in display cases around the store that is painted in stand-out primary colors— setting a playtime mood.

In the middle of the store is a bulk table containing thousands of assorted colorful LEGO pieces that draw the immediate attention of children and adults. Sifting through them, looking for a particular brick, examining pieces not seen before are children and adults—strangers to one another when they entered the store—now sharing stories, helping one another find a special brick, and bonding over their shared hobby.

Future plans include adult and kids’ themed build events, birthday parties, master builder classes that provide instruction on building with advanced techniques. Brickworks also plans hosting classes that start with basic concepts and progress to include robotics and engineering, free open-themed build contests in which children and/or adults work together on a special project or just hang out together working on their own separate projects, and maybe even LEGO movie nights. Contact Joe at info@boyertownbrickworks.com to discuss arrangements.

Joe further envisions a local “Builder Spotlight” series to highlight the talent, creativity, and hard work of LEGO enthusiasts. He promises to post an invitation periodically for photographs of builds and collections to feature on Facebook.

Watching the parade of families enter and leave the store in the opening days was a beautiful sight. Reflecting on opening day, Joe offers his thanks, admitting, “We stopped counting around the 300 mark for people showing up. Now that we're into regular hours, we look forward to seeing you all soon!”

Boyertown Brickworks is a business that brings families and friends together to spend time and have fun. It’s a business that symbolizes exactly what Boyertown longs to be.