Mascot Project and Fundraiser Idea Both Escalate
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Brickcent$ has been busier than Bob the Builder. On November 10, business owner Brandon Nissen posted a video to YouTube and on Facebook announcing that interested individuals could adopt a LEGO dog in order to help PAWS of Chinook manage the expenses of operation as they took on the more than twenty dogs from the "Hell House" gang of hounds. At the time, neither he nor Executive Director of PAWS, Alissa Hewitt envisioned the response. So far, the idea has generated nearly $500.00 for PAWS.
The idea was born from Nissen's desire to help. He went through his LEGO collection and rounded up 27 dogs, offering them for a ten-dollar adoption fee. All proceeds would go to the animal shelter to mitigate costs due to their increased population count. Nissen promoted them on Facebook and at the Parade of Lights in Chinook on November 25. Hoping to generate further enthusiasm for his idea, he also posted notices to a couple of the LEGO groups to which he belongs. That initial pack of Huskies and German Shepherds sold out in ten days, so Brickcent$ ordered more dogs. The next crop, a group of French Bull Dogs have also been going fast.
"These are the cutest puppies LEGO has done," Nissen claims. "And since they arrived from France, they are true French Bull Dogs!"
When Nissen offered up the idea of the program as a way to help, he was unprepared for how quickly it escalated. "Everything happened a bit faster than I expected. I never thought in a billion years adopting LEGO dogs would be so ridiculously popular. It has been surreal and unexpected to watch such a simple and innocent idea snowball into this! The community response has been so positive, and it all happened in less than a month! Who knew?"
Besides local sales, Nissen has mailed dogs to Columbus, Cut Bank, and Big Timber. However, the idea has reached beyond Montana, with Nissen responding to orders in Washington, Oregon, Texas, and Ohio. "Even a gal in Canada inquired for further details so she could pitch the idea to local shelters there," Nissen reported.
The Adopt a LEGO Dog for PAWS of Chinook program also caught the attention of KRTV news team member, Ryan Gamboa. After reaching out to Nissen, Gamboa planned a trip to Chinook for Monday, December 5, to do a story on the program and to get to know Brickcent$ better. Unfortunately, Nissen grew ill, and that interview was cancelled.
The interview has been rescheduled for during the week of December 19. Although Nissen is not happy that he got sick, he did express relief about the new date. "I'll have more time to prepare the office for Ryan's visit. The change will just add to the holiday ambience and help to create the holiday spirit," Nissen explained. "Maybe I will have time to make a mosaic for him since he played college baseball for Butte College in California. I might even bake holiday cookies since LEGO had a promotion a while back that I couldn't pass up. With an order of $65.00, I received a set of LEGO cookie cutters!"
Representing his mascot project, the mosaics to which Nissen refers are five-by-five-inch ornaments. They feature the mascots of various high schools, colleges, and universities. Nissen, who has sold approximately 20 mosaics so far, has them available for most of the schools on the Hi-Line, and has been working on Bobcat and Griz mascots, as well. Nissen explained that those won't be for sale, however, since licensing fees and royalties make reproductions cost ineffective.
In addition to all of these activities, Nissen continues to build. "It's the challenging, ornamental art pieces that are the true draw for adult LEGO enthusiasts like me," he stated.
As a potential springtime highlight, Brickcent$ plans to offer field trips. With these visits to his workshop, Nissen not only hopes to inspire other imaginations but to showcase the work he has done.
