This toy maker wished to assist Ukrainian refugees. The response surprised him

This toy maker wished to assist Ukrainian refugees. The response surprised him

Citizen Brick offered out of its LEGO-based figurine impressed by Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy inside hours.

Citizen Brick

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Citizen Brick

Citizen Brick offered out of its LEGO-based figurine impressed by Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy inside hours.

Citizen Brick

It did not take lengthy for Citizen Brick to promote out of its customized LEGO-based figurine of Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy.

Their tiny Molotov cocktails that includes the Ukrainian flag went simply as quick.

“We simply wished to do a small fundraising effort,” says proprietor Joe Trupia. “However this one appeared to hit the bull’s eye with some individuals.”

Like many others, Trupia wished to assist as he watched occasions unfold in Ukraine. His retailer determined to create and promote the tiny toys to deliver consideration and cash for Ukraine.

They offered out inside hours, elevating greater than $145,000 of proceeds benefiting the non-profit assist group, Direct Aid.

The demand has been extraordinary, says Trupia. The Chicago-area toy store sometimes serves a tiny – however loyal – neighborhood of toy collectors, incomes a popularity for making “far-out variations of the enduring LEGO mini collectible figurines” for lovers of the model over the past 12 years.

A few of these “far-out variations” embrace a Woman Scout figurine named “Cookie Pusher” and a Breaking Dangerous impressed methlab. They’ve even made a strip membership known as the Heart for the Performing Arts.

“After which we did one thing that sort of bought exterior of that sphere slightly bit and bought some discover,” mentioned Trupia.

Citizen Brick was fielding calls and emails from all around the world inquiring in regards to the coveted Ukraine-inspired toys. However he stored occupied with his loyal buyer base.

“I’ve numerous clients who’re from that a part of the world,” he mentioned, “and three weeks in the past, they had been simply making TikTok movies and accumulating toys. And subsequent factor you recognize, they’re hiding in subway tunnels. And that was actually startling.”

President Zelenskyy’s management caught his eye on the identical time.

“Should you’d requested me a month in the past who the President of Ukraine was, I most likely could not have instructed you,” Trupia mentioned. “And it truly is an unusual sort of heroic act, I feel. It actually impressed me that he was sort of staying there for his individuals and actually sort of main the way in which that they wanted him to on the minute.”

The Zelenskyy figurine offered for $100 every. The Molotov cocktails had been $20.

“On its face, making a toy Molotov cocktail is an absurd concept,” says Trupia. “And I sort of loved the twist of turning that into medical provides for refugees. That appeared like a great deed. However…I am not likely certain why that was the factor that caught individuals’s eye.”

Mini collectible figurines primarily based on Molotov cocktails, that includes the Ukrainian flag offered for $20 every, with proceeds donated to a non-profit assist group, Direct Aid.

Citizen Brick

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Citizen Brick

Mini collectible figurines primarily based on Molotov cocktails, that includes the Ukrainian flag offered for $20 every, with proceeds donated to a non-profit assist group, Direct Aid.

Citizen Brick

Citizen Brick would not have any plans to make extra, regardless of lingering demand as a result of LEGO doesn’t promote the mandatory components straight. The Zelenskyy and Molotov cocktail collectible figurines had been made with supplies the shop had available: toy components with pores and skin tone just like the Ukrainian president’s, tiny inexperienced bottles and the little flames.

“We couldn’t make any extra until we had a large donation from LEGO straight,” mentioned Trupia. “These are fairly scarce supplies that we simply had across the store. We do not make them ourselves, so we would not be capable of make extra.”

On the finish of the day, Trupia says it feels good to have the ability to assist. “Even when it has been sort of a careless execution the place we could not meet all of the demand, it is actually sort of opened our eyes to the potential of doing this type of stuff extra usually.”

The audio for this story was produced by Linah Mohammad and edited by Patrick Jarenwattananon. Ayen Deng Bior tailored it for net.

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