At Loot A Brick, we’re more than just a business—we’re a vibrant community hub for LEGO enthusiasts seeking unique additions to their collections or the chance to create their own custom minifigs. But how did it all begin? What sparked the passion that grew into a thriving community of collectors and customizers? In this exclusive interview, we sit down with Ivan, the mastermind behind Loot A Brick, to uncover his journey from a childhood love of LEGO to building a business that brings creativity and connection to collectors around the world.
When did you start collecting LEGO minifigs? What got you started in the first place?
I started collecting Lego minifigures from a very young age, but back then it was more of the castle and pirate play sets that came with the theme's minifigures. However, I started to collect the CMF minifigures more when I grew older with more spending power. I was always interested in the many possible combinations to create my own different minifigures. That was how I got started on collecting more Lego minifigures.
How did the AFOL community impact you?
As much as I would have loved to be more active in the AFOL community, work commitments did not allow me to be able to join them for activities. However, I'm in the Singapore AFOL Facebook group and have always followed closely on the happenings within the community and the events that are taking place. I have also met up with some AFOL members who are enthusiasts of custom minifigures as well as MOC creators. They have really inspired me with their creations and passion.
What gave you the idea to build Loot A Brick business?
It is funny that my first set of Lego toys (after I stopped for a very long time) was gifted to me by my wife and that was the start of me collecting Lego all over again. Soon the collection got so much that she was complaining about the lack of space, and she's asking me to give or sell away those that I no longer want. So I started to do some selling on platforms like carousell and shopee, and got quite good responses. I started getting requests on sets or minifigures that I do not have and soon saw it as a potential business. Loot A Brick was born with providing people with minifigures and sets that were hard to find and slowly evolved to customised sets and minifigures.
How do you set Loot A Brick apart from others in your industry?
Loot A Brick works with various brands and resells the highly customised figures, but at the same time, we also provide designing and commissioning services for anyone who wants to have their own custom sets and custom minifigures. Unlike many others, we cater to single quantity orders and we offer highly customised minifigures together with either 3d printed, custom moulded or handcrafted accessories. We are committed to providing you with the best possible customer service. We aim to offer a 100% satisfaction guarantee on all of our products and services.
How do you keep track of the latest products to sell?
I work very closely with the brand owners for the latest products to make sure that the newest products are out to market as soon as possible. At the same time, I work with budding designers who wish to have new designs created and made into figures for sale. Other than that, Loot A Brick does at times get exclusives or first hand information on new and upcoming products from our brand partners.
What does the future of the business hold for you?
I would very much hope to start producing my own designs, or even collaborating with budding designers to come out with their own products. Loot A Brick is also on the lookout for IPs, games and board game designers who wish to produce sets or minifigures to work with. So if you are looking to produce your own designed minifigures, let us know and we can work out something! Loot A Brick is also looking at the possibility of helping people connect and discover more about themselves through the use of Lego Serious Play (LSP), where we partner with certified LSP facilitators to engage the community.
Can you get how to start if we want to collect LEGO minifigs too?
I would recommend anyone who wants to collect minifigures to start with the basic Lego CMF figures first, before moving onto customised ones as the custom ones are generally much pricier. This is a toy collection hobby, so one should always be aware of their spending power and ability before jumping into the bandwagon for custom minifigures. If you have the ability, then spend a little more to get highly customised figures as these would then probably be the one and only in the world. Loot A Brick definitely is able to help to get you highly custom sets and minifigures.
With Ivan’s power of passion and creativity, Loot A Brick has become a beacon for LEGO enthusiasts who want to go beyond the ordinary. Whether you're a newcomer looking to start your LEGO minifig collection or a seasoned collector hunting for that elusive custom piece, Loot A Brick offers something for everyone. Ready to take your collection to the next level? Loot A Brick is here to help you unlock endless possibilities—one brick, one minifig at a time.