Review: 31141 Main Street
Posted by benbacardi,This year, LEGO's basic Creator range has ventured closer to the large modular building designs than ever before with its largest 3-in-1 set to date, 31141 Main Street. At just shy of 1,500 pieces, it offers a street scene containing three shops and a hotel, and can be rebuilt into alternative models of a market street with different shops or an Art Deco style apartment building.
As usual, there is nothing groundbreaking about the design or assembly of the set—it is a Creator 3-in-1 set after all—but it offers some excellent minifigures and could be a great extension to (or start of) your own LEGO city. Let's take a closer look.
Summary
31141 Main Street, 1,459 pieces.
£124.99 / $139.99 / €139.99 | 8.6p/9.6c/9.6c per piece.
Buy at LEGO.com »
A bright and colourful modular street with a detailed hotel (exterior, at least), and a great minifigure selection.
- Great minifigures
- Vibrant modular street with eye-catching hotel
- Decent alternative builds
- Fairly high price
The set was provided for review by LEGO. All opinions expressed are those of the author.
Minifigures
One of my favourite things about Creator sets are the minifigures. Six are included with the set, five adults and a child. The two girls are members of a band, and as such their clothing is suitably music-related. The first is wearing a dark green hoody over a black t-shirt printed with an equaliser graphic. Her grey jeans have rips in the knees, and a bright green belt is threaded through the loops, the end of which hangs down one side. She has striking bright blue hair tied up in bunches.
The other girl is wearing a denim jacket over a t-shirt with a graphic of a spinning record disc; a torso print that is new this year. There's no printing on her coral legs, but the jacket is very detailed, with buttons, a collar, and even stitching. Her dark orange-brown hair hangs over one shoulder. Both girls have a large smile on their face.
The barista's apron that the male minifigure is wearing is nothing new, but looks excellent paired with the new (this year) flat cap. He has a slight smile, surrounding by a thin bear and moustache, and is wearing a hearing aid—this particular head print was introduced with this year's modular building, 10312 Jazz Club.
The details of the denim jacket continue on the back, and both girls feature an alternative expression, with closed eyes—lost in their music, I suspect! The barista does not.
The fourth minifigure is dressed in plain chinos, and a long-sleeved top depicting the sun setting (or rising) behind a mountain range. There's a big smile on their face, and tousled light brown hair. The child is dressed in a sleeveless top featuring a large collar and a graphic of a strawberry and blueberry—another print, along with the mountain torso, released this year. They're wearing round glasses, and their face is dotted with freckles.
Finally, there's a hotel receptionist to staff the largest building in the set. He's looking very dapper in a detailed waistcoat with large lapels, pockets, and a bow tie. This is another part introduced with the Jazz Club, and it's an excellent print. Plain black legs complete the look, and the man's wearing spectacles, with a neat beard and moustache and slick black hair.
A yellow wheelchair is included for the minifigure in the blue top (although clearly it can be up to you which figure has need of it). It's great to see LEGO continuing to represent diverse characters, with both this and the hearing aid.
Main Street
The main build, Main Street, consists of four different buildings, built individually and each connected to the next with a pair of technic pins. The first is a small single-storey record shop in a bold orange and yellow colour scheme. It sits two studs back from the edge of the base, leaving a narrow pavement in front. The sign above the door features a rudimentary turntable, although I will be changing the arm's position from that shown in the instructions, as records spin the other way!
Inside the shop is a turntable and two containers of records, with a number of 2x2 printed tiles featuring as the record sleeves. There's nothing on the walls.
As you may have noticed in the photos above, the roof of the shop is rather unusual! Two large speakers at the rear flank a drum kit complete with cymbal, and two multicoloured disco lights sit in front. Two wand pieces are provided as drumsticks, and a minifigure can sit behind the kit. The single stud on the small parapet is provided for the other minifigure to stand with a guitar.
The second building is two storeys high, with a coffee and doughnut shop on the ground floor next to a small alleyway. I particularly like the tree growing up through the alley, and the basic coffee cup sign is very effective. A pair of chairs with a small round table sit on the narrow pavement in front of the shop window.
The upper floor features three tall windows, with a flowering vine growing from the roof and over the side. There's a large solar panel on the roof itself.
Inside, the coffee shop consists primarily of a coffee machine behind a counter. The interiors are very small, and there's just enough room for the barista to stand, but no seating.
Upstairs, there's a small bookshelf and narrow table with a reading lamp. A large camera sits on the bookshelf next to a plant in the window. Given the 3x10 footprint of the apartment, the designer has done well to fit a fair amount in. A window overlooks the alley, which can swing open quite wide, and the ladder placement implies this is the way in and out!
The third building is taller still, with three storeys, albeit one under the eaves of the roof. The ground floor is a vibrant pink and blue music shop, with excellent awnings above the floor-to-ceiling window and door, and a piano sign running up the storefront.
The second storey is primarily brickwork surrounding three narrow windows, and the roof is relatively ornate, with white and grey detailing.
Inside, once again the space is very limited, but they have managed to squeeze in a piano downstairs, and a guitar hangs on the wall. The first floor (second floor for those of you across the pond) features a recording studio with a microphone, acoustic panels, and tiny sound desk.
The attic room seems to be an office of some sort, with a tiny desk under the window featuring a computer keyboard and futuristic single-pane-of-glass monitor!
Each floor is easily detached from the one above. Only the ground floor attaches to those beside it, meaning you can remove the other two floors even when the entire Main Street is connected.
The final building is the largest and most impressive, and is built on a larger footprint as it sits on the corner of the street. This is a three-storey hotel, complete with ornate roof and dome, golden pillars, plenty of flags, and a large "hotel" sign. The upper rooms have small balconies, and I particularly like the use of the wheel arch piece to complete the teal curve above the vertical runs of windows; the shape is reminiscent of the large art-deco styled windows of 10260 Downtown Diner. The door is set at a 45-degree angle, and when I was first building it I originally thought it was going to be a revolving door, but alas it does not spin.
Despite being the corner building, the building is built on an L-shaped base, rather than a square; thus the interiors are more cramped than they otherwise could have been. The floors are also not designed to separate easily, making access even more tricky.
An orange reception desk sits to one side of the door on the ground floor, with an arm chair and table beneath a large lamp on the other.
The next floor comprises of a single bed, narrow desk, and a planter in corner. I apologise for the angle of the photos—the large walls make it a very challenging space to access for both photography and play!
The upper floor also features a bed of the same design, and a small bath. A door opens inwards into the tight space, providing access to the very small balcony. The roof is relatively plain on the inside, with a small air conditioning unit.
A view from each side provides a better look at the tiny interiors on the left…
…and the right.
The combined street
Connecting the buildings to each other and the street begins to come together. Each building can connect to the others in whatever order you wish; I chose to follow the example provided by LEGO, putting the coffee shop to the right of the record shop.
Despite the last two buildings both being three storeys tall, there is still a significant difference in height.
Once fully connected, the set produces a very wide and very narrow model! I think the record shop looks a little out of place sandwiched between two taller buildings, but given its unusual rooftop use I don't think it would fit in any better at any other position.
The open backs of each building provide easy access for play, although as a mentioned previously, it is particularly difficult to get into the back of the hotel, and the interiors are very small.
Market Street
As a 3-in-1 set, two alternative buildings are provided. The first LEGO refers to as Market Street, which is a pair of two-storey buildings joined by an archway, above which another two storeys sit. On the ground floor, a photography studio is depicted by a large brick-built camera sign above the window, with a florists shop across the alley.
I think this model looks a little disjointed, with the pink of the archway particularly out of place. As is often the case, some of my favourite details are the smaller models inside, such as the plants in the florists, the tiny sink upstairs, and the sun lounger on one of the roofs. The middle roof, although detailed on the front, is otherwise conspicuously bare.
Art Deco Building
The third model is the tallest of the three, depicting a four-storey Art Deco-style apartment block. The exterior, particularly the roof, is very ornate; as would be expected for the architectural style. The narrow pavement is included, this time with an American-style traffic light overhanging the road, and space to the side of the building that includes a small park bench, area of greenery with a tree, and a lamp and water feature. The tree's trunk is rather blocky.
Inside, the ground floor has a small concierge desk on one side and a row of mailboxes on the other. The first floor sports a tiny kitchen with sink, work surface, fridge, and a table with a single chair all squeezed in. A living room occupies the second floor, with a bookcase, armchair, and keyboard. A set of disco lights runs down the wall near the window. Finally, there's a tiny desk and bookcase on the upper floor.
All four floors separate easily for access.
Conclusion
LEGO has been producing minifig-scale streets and shopfronts for years, and 31141 Main Street is basically more of the same. I always enjoy the Creator sets, with their unlicensed minifigures and creativity that does not need to be tied into any specific theme—this is no exception.
My biggest complaint is the diminutive size of the interiors, with some rooms only measuring a few studs in either direction. The designers get as creative as they can with such a small space, but it does all start to feel like a rehash of previous designs.
The exterior, however, is bold, bright, and colourful, with plenty going on. The hotel looks suitably impressive with the gold accents and the flags, and I like each attempt at differing architectural styles on such a small scale, although I think the rooftop band looks a little out of place. For children, there's plenty to play with, and all three models would fit into an existing LEGO city build fairly well. The minifigures are an excellent selection.
31141 Main Street is the largest 3-in-1 set produced, and this shows in the price, at $139.99, £124.99, or €139.99. If a street scene is what you are after, then it fits the bill—but for up to £35 less, I think previous years' sets such as 31120 Medieval Castle and 31132 Viking Ship and the Midgard Serpent offer more value for money.
31141 Main Street is available at LEGO.com from 1st August for $139.99, £124.99, €139.99.
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38 comments on this article
$140 for what looks like half a set, good luck to anyone that buys it without a discount.
The hotel still has an equal bathtub count to the boutique hotel.
I can't help but feel this would have been better as 3 or 4 separate smaller sets that could be combined. Might not have worked for the alternative builds, but why not give every set an alternate build and then another big one for all sets combined. Looking at it as a single build this feels a bit like a mess. Many good elements, but not greater than the sum of its parts.
Thanks for the review @benbacardi, you've done well with the photos considering the cramped spaces.
Do you happen to know how well these modules would fit into the Monkie Kid City of Lanterns set 80036 ? (I mean physically, not aesthetically)
I wonder whether Lego will switch to 4 studs depth for its buildings next year.
At least this one is quite realistic in terms of microfigures: the guys have to work and the girls just wanna have fun.
Good but unremarkable. The likes of 31105 Toy Store and 31097 Pet Shop & Café were much better 3-in1 buildings.
Very unusual.
At least 2 of these will be required to make proper buildings.... and I will need to add some road plates to make the street.
So at least a 20% discount will be needed. :)
31026 Bike Shop & Café did it better IMHO. The buildings could fold to create complete (small) buildings or open up for a similar street effect. And I can't help but feel that the size here is a bit too large for what is essentially a collection of seperate buildings. At this point you're basically barred from entry if you can't buy a full street instead of the components. And I don't feel the builds are particularly cohesive as a whole.
For variety you can always use alternate builds to fill out a street if you're able to buy multiples. That's one of the best things about smaller Creator buildings.
Also, I initially couldn't tell if this was a Friends, City or Creator set from the thumbnail. I'm not sure how I feel about that. Between stuff like the super bright colors and the not brick-built wheelchair and the many specific accessories this just feels a bit less like Creator than usual.
That said, I think the set is nice for what it is. You really do get a nice, varied street with some buildings being more grandiose than others. And the alternate builds are always nice too! The designer -who probably was asked to make a street at this price point- did well. I just disagree with the choice to make an entire street at this price point in the first place!
That's a strawberry, not a raspberry. Got me excited for nothing.
@johleth said:
"$140 for what looks like half a set, good luck to anyone that buys it without a discount."
You say that as if buying full price will somehow give you less of a set…
The original set name was 31141 "early-twentieth-century-prosperous-business-district-that-fell-into-neglect-for-decadrs-and-is-now-in-the-artsy-and-gay-period-of-gentrification."
@johleth said:
"$140 for what looks like half a set"
I see it more like 4 half sets
@kdu2814 said:
"The original set name was 31141 "early-twentieth-century-prosperous-business-district-that-fell-into-neglect-for-decadrs-and-is-now-in-the-artsy-and-gay-period-of-gentrification.""
And then they thought, "Sod it. We'll just recycle the name (and idea) from 41704. It'll sell much better if we get rid of those weird minidolls"
@mrzeon said:
" @johleth said:
"$140 for what looks like half a set"
I see it more like 4 half sets"
And yet, I’m seeing 4 different 1/4 sets.
I think I must be a Super Pessimist.
Pretty nice facade style set. My favorite part is the large coffee mug. The proportions look wrong at first glance, then you compare it to a mini figure sized one and realize it’s as perfect as it gets!
Some days I don't understand the line between Creator, City, and Modular.
Feels a bit empty given its large size. I think I would have preferred 1,400 pieces devoted to a single structure, like the Art Deco hotel.
But then, that’d just be a modular building, right? Remind me again why we only get one modular a year? Feels like the market could support two a year, like a winter release and a summer release.
This seems good but, too much exposed back.
Don't like the bright colors in these newer city and creator sets, looks like a combination of City and Friends.
Creator usually not dissapoint, but this set indeed seems unfinished/not worth the price.
I agree they should have pimped up hotel more and cut one shop from main model
@WemWem said:
"Feels a bit empty given its large size. I think I would have preferred 1,400 pieces devoted to a single structure, like the Art Deco hotel.
But then, that’d just be a modular building, right? Remind me again why we only get one modular a year? Feels like the market could support two a year, like a winter release and a summer release."
please, don't give strange ideas to LEGO!
Hmmm... Mixed feelings but hope this isn't instead of a mini-modular this year to follow 31131.
Good review! This set is definitely very impressive, not just in terms of piece count and builds but also in terms of sheer variety of building techniques and architectural styles. And I agree with you that the furnishings are quite impressive as well, despite each room's limited floor area. The set also continues the neat recent trend of mixing and matching minifigure parts to create different characters for each of the three models.
Am I correct in thinking that the upper floors/roofs of the three shops in the A-model can be swapped around? They all look to be around the same size, and that seems like a really neat play feeature if so.
Of course, some of these potential arrangements would be less logical than others — most obviously, the ladder/fire escape above the cafe would hit a dead end if you put the recording studio on top. Conversely if you put the rooftop concert space on the cafe and the second-floor apartment to its left, the ladder can serve as access for both spaces! If you have the time, it'd be neat to see photos of some alternate arrangements!
The L-shaped footprint of the hotel is presumably because it'd be hard to reach all the way inside to the "front corner" of the rooms if the "back corner" of the floors/ceilings were extended all the way to the sides. But this would be less of an issue if the floors could be separated, as you point out. Either way, it's honestly kind of surprising that the designers DIDN'T design the floors of the hotel so they could separate. I wonder what the rationale was there.
The market street is also quite stylish. Its main weakness in my opinion is that unlike the main street and skyscraper, it is not designed to connect with other Creator "city street" models from recent years like 31097, 31105, and 31131. From the look of it, none of its rooms can really be re-arranged either, at least not in a way that makes much sense. That said, its shops and apartments are really beautifully furnished, and their architectural features and furnishings alike stand out nicely from those in the A-model.
I'm not as impressed with the skyscraper from an architectural standpoint, as odd as it is to say that. The colors feel a little haphazard and splotchy, especially on the top level and spire, despite the designer's obvious efforts to give that part of the build a unified Aqua/Earth Blue/Bright Bluish Green color palette. That said, the traffic light and public park look very nice indeed — even if the tree that serves as the park's centerpiece is very clearly held back by the set's limited supply of brown parts and lack of brown curves/arches.
The fountain, bench, and lamppost are quite charming and help give it a very peaceful and scenic atmosphere. Public spaces like this are fairly rare in these sorts of Creator 3-in-1 street scenes, so I greatly appreciate how much care and attention was put into this one. Out of curiosity, can the park and skyscraper be separated, or is the fountain permanently linked to the side of the skyscraper? I mostly ask because the spacing looks like there could be a 1x2 Technic brick behind the fountain like there is on the other side of the skyscraper, but if this is the case the review doesn't currently make this clear.
Overall, the Creator 3-in-1 designers have done a good job keeping these city street models feeling fresh and exciting — with this being the largest yet! While we've seen plenty of coffee shops, florist shops, offices, and apartments in previous 3-in-1 sets, these ones are nicely differentiated from their predecessors, and are more than balanced out by the more unique/novel settings like the record store, music supply store, hotel, photo studio, and recording studio. Particularly with the increasing numbers of homes and shops in the City theme, it's great to see that the Creator theme continues to maintain its reputation for excellence in both those categories!
@IgelCampus said:
"I wonder whether Lego will switch to 4 studs depth for its buildings next year.
At least this one is quite realistic in terms of microfigures: the guys have to work and the girls just wanna have fun. "
Maybe it seems that way in the review because they only reviewed the minifigures from the A-model — though I'd argue that being in a band is a kind of work in and of itself, and it also seems likely that even there, the two members of this girl group are also responsible for running the music and record stores!
@ResIpsaLoquitur said:
"Some days I don't understand the line between Creator, City, and Modular."
Not sure if this is meant facetiously, but just in case:
The defining factor for Creator 3-in-1 sets has always been their ability to rebuild into three different models. This tends to impact their part choices quite a bit, with fewer large panels and other specialized elements than City or Friends sets. Animals, boat hulls, and furniture (refrigerators, cabinets, etc) are usually brick-built so that their parts can be reused in different ways, even if a molded version exists that would offer more authentic detail, play value or functionality.
City and Friends sets have more of a "playset" design philosophy, with an emphasis on acting out different play scenarios using minifigures or mini-dolls. They make more use of printed and stickered graphics for signs, murals, and billboards, rather than brick-built ones like you'd typically see in a 3-in-1 set. They often use large panels or windows to speed up the build and provide slightly roomier interiors. City vehicles are also much more likely to use preformed hull/chassis/fuselage pieces, both for stability during play and to make them more accessible to younger builders.
The Modular Buildings Collection is a specific range of Creator Expert/Icons products designed for older and more experienced builders. Their bases are built on baseplates rather than full-thickness plates, and have pin holes at particular places along their sides. They lack the dollhouse-style open backs of City, Friends, and Creator 3-in-1 buildings, requiring you to separate the roof and upper floors for interior access instead. And they always provide stairs, ladders, or lifts for minifigures to move between floors, whereas City, Friends, and Creator 3-in-1 sets may or may not include such features depending on the set or build.
@Binnekamp said:
"Also, I initially couldn't tell if this was a Friends, City or Creator set from the thumbnail. I'm not sure how I feel about that. Between stuff like the super bright colors and the not brick-built wheelchair and the many specific accessories this just feels a bit less like Creator than usual."
I figure the main reason for the molded wheelchair is that a brick-built one would not fit through the doorways. I hardly think it seems any more specific than the molded bicycles, motor scooters, and skateboards in previous 3-in-1 buildings. The only other really specific molded accessories are the guitar and camera, the latter of which has been common in Creator 3-in-1 sets for years.
@strangeworld said:
"Don't like the bright colors in these newer city and creator sets, looks like a combination of City and Friends."
I don't see anything wrong with that — Friends sets often have gorgeous color schemes, and it's not as though real cities would be devoid of bright colors like pink, orange, and teal in real life. Plus, Creator buildings with vivid color schemes are nothing new — 7346 and 31109 came out over a decade ago, and we've seen lots of other brightly-colored sets like 31035, 31050, 31077, and 31105 in the intervening years.
On that note, it honestly feels surprising that it took until this year to get ANY Creator buildings with vivid pink or orange parts as one of their main colors. And even here, these colors are far outweighed by the set's extensive use of understated colors like white, brick yellow, medium nougat, and earth blue (especially in the B- and C-models).
Honestly, I love this. A full city street's worth of buildings, and not a half-baked attempt like we've seen in the past, but four actual buildings connected together. The price is fine, still below the $0.10 per piece standard that I still abide by. Maybe that changed for some folks?
@blogzilly said:
" @mrzeon said:
" @johleth said:
"$140 for what looks like half a set"
I see it more like 4 half sets"
And yet, I’m seeing 4 different 1/4 sets.
I think I must be a Super Pessimist.
"
@johlet is pessimistic: half a set is half a set - which is usually not very good.
@mrzeon is optimistic: 4 half sets is two whole sets - which is very good!
@blogzilly is realistic: 4 quarter sets is one set - as it should be...
Seems aight enough. The lacking depth of course will majorly dampen the playability/displayability for most, being one step from a facade. Still tempting to go with the single modular I'm bothering with at this point.
If I do bother getting it on a sale, probably the first modification I make will be putting a canopy over the record shop. It would prevent rain from getting directly onto the music instruments, prevent the skyline from having that gap, while also maintaining the ability to have them in use on the roof.
@Kliq said:
"Honestly, I love this. A full city street's worth of buildings, and not a half-baked attempt like we've seen in the past, but four actual buildings connected together. The price is fine, still below the $0.10 per piece standard that I still abide by. Maybe that changed for some folks?"
Creatoe sets usually are lower than that for most sets - somewhere in the 7-9 cent range. Based on that, it should be $120 in the USA.
I appreciate the attempt but the build as a whole simply looks too shallow. The minifigs are boring but that's to be expected with modern City sets.
One positive point though: that band on the rooftop gives me a nice throwback to an episode of Dharma & Greg.
Considering this is designed primarily for kids, not adult collectors or AFOLs, this is alright as far as city buildings go. There aren't nearly enough of those in the City line itself, except for the endless stream of police offices, fire stations, and hospitals. However, do kids nowadays even know what record stores are?
From an adult perspective, I do like some of the individual buildings, but as a street it looks disjointed, especially with the bold color choices and different heights. I feel it would've worked better as three individual sets with more complete buildings and a little more space to move around minifigs. That guy in the wheelchair especially will have a hard time browsing records, unfortunately, so his inclusions here really misses the mark.
I'd like to see what MOCs people come up with to make this Main Street fit in with modular buildings!
@BigDaddy89
I don't remember that episode, but I guess this set wasn't meant to reference Dharma & Greg, but the famous rooftop performance by The Beatles, later repeated by U2 (and several others).
@HOBBES said:
" @blogzilly said:
" @mrzeon said:
" @johleth said:
"$140 for what looks like half a set"
I see it more like 4 half sets"
And yet, I’m seeing 4 different 1/4 sets.
I think I must be a Super Pessimist.
"
@johlet is pessimistic: half a set is half a set - which is usually not very good.
@mrzeon is optimistic: 4 half sets is two whole sets - which is very good!
@blogzilly is realistic: 4 quarter sets is one set - as it should be...
"
I LOL’d. This should be a children’s book or something! :D
@ResIpsaLoquitur said:
"Some days I don't understand the line between Creator, City, and Modular."
Quality
@ResIpsaLoquitur said:
"Some days I don't understand the line between Creator, City, and Modular."
Oh, that's simple. City buildings are attached to road plates, Creator 3-in-1 buildings include two extra instruction booklets you'll never use, and Modular buildings give you an urge to go through the original King Kong frame by frame to see if you can spot them in the background.
“ five adults and a child. The two girls…”
If there is only one child, how are there two girls? You reference girls for the adult figures a few times. Did you mean women or female?
I personally might have changed either the record store or music supply store into something different.
@nkane said:
"“ five adults and a child. The two girls…”
If there is only one child, how are there two girls? You reference girls for the adult figures a few times. Did you mean women or female? "
Not all adults are grown-ups apparently.
I think the Art Deco hotel 3rd build is most "creator-ish", in line with the previous Creator mini modulars... It might have been better if they focused on that rather than making a whole street of buildings as the main build. Perhaps the street could have been the second or third build... Just my thoughts...
This is one of the worst looking lego sets I have ever seen. It would be alot of fun to play with for a kid though I am sure.