Why Lumibricks "The Bodega 26" is a Must-Have for your Lego City

 

Hey brick fans, it’s review time again!

Today, thanks to Lumibricks, we are going to look at one of their newest and most highly anticipated additions to the Street Fusion lineup: The Bodega 26 (Set 19017).

If you have been following my blog, Its Not Lego, you know that I have a massive soft spot for modular street scenery that fits perfectly into a bustling brick town layout. As many of you know, Lumibricks was originally known as Funwhole before their complete rebranding. 

Despite the name change, they continue to be the absolute pioneers of building block sets with fully integrated LED lighting systems. They don’t just slap a third-party light kit onto an existing build; they design the structures from the ground up to hide wires, route cables, and cast a cinematic, warm glow.

The corner bodega is a staple of urban street culture—a 24-hour haven for quick snacks, hot sandwiches, late-night lottery tickets, and a friendly chat with the neighborhood owner. Seeing Lumibricks tackle this distinct slice of city life on a compact scale had me incredibly eager to get my hands on it. The set officially drops on August 26, 2026, but I managed to secure an early copy to give you the full breakdown. Let’s dive straight in and see if this small build packs the flagship punch we’ve come to expect!

The Specs

Before we crack open the box, let's look at the core specifications for The Lumibricks Bodega 26:

• Brand: Lumibricks (Formerly Funwhole)
• Set Number: 19017
• Theme: Town Life / Street Fusion
• Piece Count: 618 pieces
• Minifigures: 1 Lumibricks style minifigure ("Papi")
• Lighting: An Integrated 3-point LED light system with a battery box/USB plug
• Footprint: 16x24 stud baseplate
• Stickers: None! 100% premium printed parts, 48 in total!
• Compatibility: Fully compatible with standard major brand bricks
• Price: $39.99 USD/$55CDN

Now available on Amazon and on the official Lumibricks website!

Use my code "itsnotlego" to get another 10% off on the Lumibricks site.

Unboxing

The packaging is exactly what we have come to expect from premium Lumibricks releases. The box features beautiful matte-finish artwork showcasing the Bodega in a typical urban setting. A lot of people have wondered if the taxi depicted on the box is included in the set, but I'm sad to say it's not.

Inside the main box, you are greeted by parts bags, an orange packet and a colourful instruction booklet.

The parts bags are numbered 1 through 4 to correspond to the steps in the instruction manual. I counted a total of 11 numbered bags.

There are 2 extra parts bags marked S and a parts bag marked F which typically contains special bricks for the lighting elements and the lumibricks style minifigure.  Also, there is a dedicated, separate orange packet containing the delicate LED component pieces, including the proprietary thin wiring, light elements, and a CR2032 battery box (batteries not included). 

The 163 page instruction book is excellent, featuring a little blurb about Papi, the Bodega owner, his cat, and the features of the Bodega with clear and colourful instructions.

Here are the stars of the show, that pigeon is cool too!  The bodega cat and the pigeon both feature turnable heads so you can pose them any way you want.

Building the Bodega

Building the Bodega is an absolute joy, especially if you love highly detailed micro-interiors. Unlike standard modular buildings where you build the structural walls first and drop the furniture in later, Lumibricks has you assemble the vibrant interior layout right from the get-go.

Step 1 - the base

On the compact 16x24 base, every single stud of real estate is utilized with surgical precision. You start by laying down the tiled flooring and immediately building up the tiny store fixtures.

Step 2 - the interior

There is a detailed sandwich counter counter complete with a tiny coffee station, a deli counter, a cooler fridge,  rows of printed soda cans, beer bottles, and individual snack bags.

Step 3 - the walls

We placed the walls, windows and awnings for the bodega.  So many printed parts make up the awning.

Step 4 - The roof

The roof lifts right off but you can also see inside via the skylight.

The Features

The lighting and Printed Pieces

There are three points of light in the bodega, one is inside the shop.

Another is over the bodega entrance.  The sign is busy and colourful!

Lastly on the corner to light up the sign.  My wire was a bit short and couldn't reach the peg to hold the light so i just left it loose.  I wish the Papi Grocery store was backlit like the Lumibricks Barber shop sign.  Access to the rooftop is via the ladder.

More missed opportunites for more lighting could have been the 8 Down soda sign or the Deli sign.  Lots of prints though!  I like how 8 Down is a play on 7 Up.

For play and display, the rear wall swings open for easy access to the interior!

Here's a closer look at the features out front.  Love the ATM machine and the gumball machine.  Even the window glass has prints all over it adding to the realism.

Extra bonus!  The entire front wall can be removed for even more interior access, so cool!

If I had to complain about one thing, it's that the hotdogs are way too high, can just barely reach them.  I think I might have to lower the counter, Papi's getting old and accessibility is an issue.

Final Thoughts

If you are an adult fan of bricks (AFOL) looking for an evening build that you can easily finish in a single sitting without sacrificing premium detail, The Lumibricks Bodega 26 is a must-buy. Coming in at just 618 pieces, it packs a massive amount of personality, urban character, and vibrant display value into a modest footprint.

It provides an unparalleled, cozy, real-world city atmosphere that major brick brands simply do not offer in their standard line-ups. The fact that it comes packed with a custom-engineered lighting kit and 100% fully printed parts makes it an incredible value statement for your custom town layout. I highly recommend picking this up to add some authentic street fusion to your city block!

I'll give it a 4.7 out of 5 score, only because the exterior lighting wire was a bit too short, and the hotdog counter too high, otherwise  the play features like the opening back wall and removable storefront were great features!  In my opinion the lighting for this set is just ok.

Here's a look at how I integrated the Bodega into my city!  And the taxi has arrived!

Now available on the Lumibricks Amazon store and on the official Lumibricks website!

Don't forget, you can use code itsnotlego at check-out on the official Lumibricks Store to snag a cool 10% off your purchases!

Thanks for looking, bye!!

#lumibricks #lumibrickskoc