Plans have been unveiled for Lego’s first Tasmanian store, with Pulse confirming it will move into the former Rivers outlet in Hobart’s Elizabeth Street Mall.
The Hobart City Council this week advertised an application to transform the heritage-listed building at 38 Elizabeth Street.
The proposal outlines illuminated Lego signage and the company’s trademark brick-pattern cladding across the shopfront.
Built in 1917 and designed by architects A. and K. Henderson in the Romanesque style, the building occupies a prime spot on the corner of Elizabeth and Collins streets in Hobart’s CBD.
Key features of the makeover include white and yellow brick striping, three glowing Lego signs at the entrance and cinema-style lightboxes inside the store visible from the street.
Planning documents note the new branding will replace existing Rivers signs in the same locations.
The proposal was also compared favourably to the ‘significantly more signage’ used by Chemist Warehouse on the neighbouring heritage-listed building.
Lego’s Asia Pacific Director Collin Johns wrote of the store’s community benefits in a submission included in the planning documents.
“The LEGO Store in Hobart will be more than a retail outlet – it will be a creative hub for the community, offering hands-on play experiences, interactive displays and events that encourage learning and family connection,” he wrote.
“We are excited about the opportunity to bring the LEGO Store experience to Hobart — the first of its kind in Tasmania — and to create a destination that will not only serve the local community but also attract visitors from across Australia and beyond.”
“We deeply respect Hobart’s unique heritage character and have worked to ensure our design harmonises with the surrounding environment while meeting our global brand standards.”
Heritage Tasmania and Hobart City Council planners will now assess the application.
