The Lego 10218 Pet Shop City set is another modular downtown city structure that hard core town collectors will absolutely love. Like the other downtown city structures, this one is three stories high and can be connected via the sides to other downtown city structures. However, the building itself has an additional divider that allows you to separate the pet shop with the apartment section for more customization in configuring your town.
Once again, Lego does a magnificent job of putting an incredible amount of detail into these downtown city structures. Here, we see what is from my memory, one of the only toilets in existence. After piecing this part together, I had to take a picture because it’s something you really don’t see in Lego sets. You have to admit this is one nice looking toilet. Stanley Kubrick would be proud (and if you don’t know the reference, check out the various interpretations of how Kubrick incorporates restrooms in his movies).
The first part you’ll put together is the first floor of the apartment section. Outside of the little bathroom, this side is such a wonderful piece. It reminds me a bit of the architecture in the Bay Area with the stairs leading to the apartment and the window structure. You get a little gated garden and mail box (mail included!) along with a stylish porch overhanging.
The interior of the first floor beyond the toilet is basically a living room. Right next to the door, you have a coat hanger with someone’s hat resting. Nearby is a black leather sofa and flower vase that shows a very cozy environment to the person living here.
The rear of the apartment has a small door and what looks to be a basement. The doors do open but the space underneath is pretty small. Also, you get your normal garbage can.
I didn’t capture much of the second floor unfortunately. In all honesty, there wasn’t much to really demonstrate. You do have a spiraling staircase that leads to the second floor, which seems to be either being renovated or for rent. You have a painter putting the first layer of paint against the brown wall.
The third floor itself is again not really remarkable. We do get a balcony with a small garden. The interior though lacks any features outside of the next flight of stairs leading upwards and some crates. Probably, it’s meant for you to fill in with additional furniture.
Here’s another view of the apartment by itself. One little detail I enjoyed was the pipe drain on the side. It’s a nice touch.
The picture above shows the beginnings of the pet shop component. Here, you can see a relatively new piece, which is a larger plastic trash can. Just outside you can see a mouse just sticking outside it’s mouse hole while a cat prowls nearby.
This is inside of the pet shop. Here, I’m starting to work on the dog cage. The set gives you three bones, one of which is placed along side the little dog here. The dog is a cute little set piece.
Once the first floor is complete, you can see the various things for sale, including the dog, supplies (including a plastic frog), the aforementioned cat and a fish tank (not shown). From this angle, you can see the cash register as well as the finished dog cage. The dog cage sits under a stair case leading to the 2nd floor of what seems like someone’s apartment.
Here’s a shot of the exterior. It includes some merchandise such as a rubber ball and two bones for your dogs. Also, you can see the lamp post on the street corner here.
Unfortunately, for us who wanted a bigger pet shop, we won’t be getting it here. The upper floors of this building are dedicated living quarters. You can see someone’s kitchen. I have to say though that the rent hopefully should be cheap considering that they’d have to live above a pet shop!
This is the last aspect of the Pet Shop building. Here, we see that it’s someone’s bedroom. Fortunately, they designed it on the 3rd floor as opposed to the 2nd floor. Imagine if this guy was nutty enough to put his bed over the dog cage! That would royally suck!
Overall, this is such a wonderful set. It is quite expensive but the design is very mature and a great addition to any town. It also shows how far Lego has come with all the various animals pieces it has delivered to us over the years. It’s not an action packed type of set but adds another common aspect of life to Lego’s city dwellers. Also, with the Town Hall and Movie Cinema coming out, we’ll be adding even more to the growing demand of variety.