Tucked away on Wellington High Street in the former Odette’s Tearoom, Brickhaus Café offers more than your typical coffee stop. Here, alongside the comforting aroma of fresh brews and baked treats, the joyful clatter of LEGO bricks echoes, creating a unique atmosphere where creativity and connection thrive.
Founder Steve James envisioned Brickhaus as a space where people of all ages could relax, build, and bond. With a background in design and a lifelong passion for LEGO, Steve transformed the café into a hands-on retreat from the digital world. “LEGO has been a constant in my life—a way to unwind and enter a meditative state,” he shares.
The café’s inclusive environment welcomes everyone, from children fostering collaboration with their parents to adults seeking mental respite or improving dexterity, including stroke survivors and individuals with special educational needs. Steve notes, “People come here to engage with each other, not screens, creating genuine, quality connections.”
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Booking a session is easy. Visitors select a time online, pay by the hour, and dive into a vast library of around 150 LEGO sets sorted by age and complexity. Guided by instruction booklets or their imagination, guests immerse themselves in building while enjoying homemade treats like sausage rolls, flapjacks, and brownies, paired with a variety of teas and coffees.
Many visitors lose themselves in multiple builds per visit, spurred on by a constantly refreshed collection, thanks to donations and regular additions. This dedication to screen-free, tactile interaction is a hallmark of Brickhaus. Rejecting the influence of social media platforms like Instagram and TikTok, Steve emphasizes the café’s focus on authentic, stress-free experiences. “We want this to be a sanctuary from online pressures, a place where people can just be.”
Since its quiet launch in July, Brickhaus has swiftly become a cherished local spot. The appeal is clear—people leave with a sense of achievement and happiness, eager to return. “It’s incredibly rewarding to see the joy and pride on their faces,” Steve reflects.
Running the café comes with challenges, such as managing health and safety and replacing missing bricks, but Steve embraces these tasks with enthusiasm. Looking ahead, he plans to introduce seasonal events, festive competitions, and adults-only evenings, with companies already incorporating Brickhaus into their meetings.
Steve’s vision remains simple: a welcoming space where everyone can relax, create, and connect. His personal favorites—the LEGO Technic truck and the detailed modular city inside the café—symbolize the imaginative community he’s building. Inviting the LEGO founders or inventor Trevor Baylis to join would be a dream come true, as Steve hopes to inspire the same passion for creativity and innovation that has fueled his journey.