How I Redesigned the Lumibricks Bodega 19017

 

Welcome back, brick fans! Today, I am excited to show you how I took the original 618-piece Lumibricks Bodega set and completely transformed it into a custom modular building.

Before we look at the modifications, here is a quick reminder of what the original Bodega set looked like right out of the box. The storefront featured the vibrant "Papi's Grocery Store" sign alongside a fantastic collection of street-level details, including an ATM and a corner entrance. 

On the side of the building, you'll find a deli window, specialized signage, and a detailed menu. 

If you want to check out my comprehensive thoughts on the unedited build, you can read my full review of the Lumibricks Bodega here: its-not-lego.blogspot.com/2026/08/why-lumibricks-bodega-26-is-must-have.html.

For this modification, I decided to restrict my custom Bodega to a width of 16 studs so it could sit perfectly next to my custom Lumibricks Newsstand modular building. (You can see how I highlighted that updated Newsstand project here: bricksandfigs.blogspot.com/2024/12/welcome-to-my-custom-funwhole-newsstand.html). Side-by-side, both buildings seamlessly share a single 32x32 stud baseplate.

Step 1: The Exterior Shell

The process began by constructing the building's exterior walls while keeping the front and back fully open for accessibility. 

To ensure the overhead clearance was exactly right, I did a test fit with the original "Papi's Grocery" sign. 

On the inside, I laid down long tiled pieces across the floor and secured a long plate across the top structure—this is where I mount the interior LED light strip. 

Step 2: Refining the Storefront

Next, I built two structural pillars using 1x2 wine-coloured masonry bricks, anchoring the ATM machine directly onto one of them. 

For the entrance, I swapped out the original corner door frame in favour of a regular door frame. I also managed to replicate the set's signature removable front window feature for my custom version, though I reduced its width slightly to fit the new 16-stud footprint.

Step 3: Designing the Pull-Out Interior

Because I felt the original interior layout left room for improvement, I decided to engineer a self-contained, pull-out tray. This removable tray houses its own floor, walls, and all the store's extra detailed fixtures.

Inside, you'll find a dedicated counter area positioned at the rear of the store right next to a convenient back door, complete with a security camera mounted overhead.  The Bodega now has a lot more product offerings.

 I made sure to preserve some of the best elements from the official Lumibricks set, including portions of the original tiled flooring, the store fixtures, and the cooler fridge. However, I did make one small aesthetic tweak: replacing the set's digital clock with a classic analog clock face.

The entire interior tray smoothly slides right into the main building structure, thanks to those tile pieces I added initially. To make access completely effortless, I added a small, discrete handle on the back wall so the tray can be pulled out in seconds.

Step 4: The Upper Floors

To complete the multi-story modular look, I repurposed the upper two floors from a modular building I previously used in my custom Starbucks build. If you want to see where those pieces originally came from, you can check out that older project here: bricksandfigs.blogspot.com/2019/10/custom-modular-building-using-hsanhe.html.

As of right now, the upper floors are empty shells, but I plan to fully furnish their interiors in an upcoming project!

I didn't want the extra printed pieces to go to waste, so ....

Papi got a new mobile Deli truck!

What do you think of the new modular Bodega layout? Let me know your thoughts in the comments below! If you enjoy seeing these custom builds and alternative brick reviews, don't forget to bookmark my blog and subscribe for updates.Thanks for looking, and happy building!