Bar Made of Toy Blocks Soon to Open in London

Category: Lifestyle/Entertainment

Listening

Unlocking Word Meanings

Read the following words/expressions found in today’s article.

  1. pop-up / ˈpɒpˌʌp / (adj) – describing a place or store that opens and operates in a place temporarily
    Example:

    I will open a pop-up sweets shop for the Christmas season.


  2. seasonal / ˈsi zə nl / (adj) – appearing or happening only at a particular period of time
    Example:

    The bar serves a seasonal drink that is offered only during summer.


  3. nostalgia / nɒˈstæl dʒə / (n) – a feeling of wanting to experience past events again
    Example:

    This old cartoon show brings me nostalgia.


  4. disclaimer / dɪsˈkleɪ mər / (n) – a denial of something or someone
    Example:

    The disclaimer says that the article contains the writer’s own opinions.


  5. affiliated / əˈfɪl iˌeɪ tɪd / (adj) – connected to another company or organization
    Example:

    The company and its affiliated subsidiaries will meet tomorrow morning.


Article

Read the text below.

A pop-up bar made with more than one million toy building blocks will open in London this spring.


The bar follows the concept of “pop-up retail,” a trend in which businesses operate for only a limited time. Pop-up retailers usually sell goods that are seasonal, such as toys and clothes.


The pop-up bar travels around the world and stops in a place for a short time. Aside from London, the bar will also be visiting Montreal, Toronto, New York, and Los Angeles this year. The bar is disassembled and rebuilt every time it is moved.


The bar will display sculptures made of toy blocks and will also let customers build and play with block sets scattered in the area. Despite being based on a toy, the bar does not target children. Instead, it is designed to bring nostalgia to adult customers.


The bar will serve alcoholic drinks and feature music from local DJs. However, interested individuals must take note that tickets to the bar will be only on a first-come, first-served basis and must be ordered online.


Before its opening in London, however, the bar faced controversy over its name. Originally named Legobar, the pop-up bar’s name was changed to TheBricksBar due to a complaint from The Lego Group.


In an official statement, the toy company clarified that the pop-up bar is not related to The Lego Group. It also emphasized that its main target audience are children and it would not want to be involved with establishments serving alcoholic beverages. Because of this, the bar’s website now shows a disclaimer that it is not affiliated with The Lego Group.


Viewpoint Discussion

Enjoy a discussion with your tutor.

Discussion A

• Given the chance, would you be interested to visit TheBricksBar? Why?
• Do you think that TheBricksBar can also be a hit in your country? Why or why not?

Discussion B

• Why do you think themed bars/restaurants (e.g. toy-themed bar) are becoming more popular nowadays? Discuss.
• What other innovations or creative improvements can restaurants make?