LEGO Reviews Friends42649

Heartlake City Candy Store

Name: LEGO Heartlake City Candy Store 42649
Brand: LEGO
SKU: 42649
Rating: 4.73 (925 reviews)

75 · RECOMMENDEDINVESTMENT GRADE: BBB2024376 pcsHigh agreement · 100%

Expert reviews

2analyzed

Owner ratings

925

Consensus

BUY

BrickScore

Recommended

Owners

Synthesized Verdict

"With a BrickScore of 75 (Recommended) and 4.73 out of 5 from 925 owners, the Heartlake City Candy Store delivers exactly what the Friends line promises: a colorful, well-priced shop set with genuine play value and accessories that keep younger builders engaged well past the build itself."

The Heartlake City Candy Store is a well-received entry-level Friends set that earns its Recommended BrickScore of 75 through strong design aesthetics, good value at $0.08 per piece, and broad appeal to its target age group. All available reviews are owner ratings rather than dedicated expert critiques, but 925 buyers across four retailers average 4.73 out of 5, and LEGO's own platform shows a value-for-money signal of 4.875 out of 5. The one cautionary signal is the would_recommend_pct of 18%, which likely reflects a platform sampling quirk rather than genuine dissatisfaction given how uniformly positive the written feedback is.

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LOVED (7)

01Vibrant, colorful design that immediately appeals to the target age group
02The set opens and closes like a real shop, praised for its play functionality
03Translucent colored hair on one of the mini-dolls called out specifically as a delightful new detail
04Candy and sweet-themed accessories including candy dispensers, cupcakes, and scoops that spark imaginative role-play
05Numbered bags that let builders complete one section at a time before combining
06Sturdy construction; pieces hold together reliably during play
07Inclusion of a child mini-doll and a cat figure alongside the two main mini-dolls

CRITICIZED (3)

01Some reviewers found the build challenging for younger children (ages 5-7), recommending parental guidance for that age range
02One reviewer noted the absence of an open/closed sign that children could flip, viewing the static sticker as a missed opportunity
03A small number of reviewers felt some pieces are quite small and fiddly for the youngest builders

What reviewers are saying

"I would expect this store to be very popular among the Friends - after all, who doesn't like sweets?"

Brickset Reviews

"Heartlake City has always had incredible living standards with plenty of amenities such as cute cafes, shopping strips and more."

Jay's Brick Blog

Ecosystem

42670 Heartlake City Apartments and shops — Both are shop-themed sets in Heartlake City; 42670 is mentioned as also including more substantial patio or sidewalk space which may be more appealing to AFOLs

42671 — Another Heartlake City set that includes more substantial patio or sidewalk space, potentially more appealing to AFOLs than 42649

42653 Music Store — Also features mascots as a trend in Friends sets this year

42674 Comic/Game Shop — Also features mascots as a trend in Friends sets this year

FriendsTier 1Investment Grade

By Reviewer · 2

Avg score

Consensus

BUY

Brickset Reviews

Editorial Source

BUY

"I would expect this store to be very popular among the Friends - after all, who doesn't like sweets?"

Key Pros

✓Solid play experience with multiple building sections
✓Great use of colour throughout
✓Three minidolls included

Key Cons

✕Unclear purpose of the cat character in the set
✕Cat appears to have an unexplained scared expression

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Jay's Brick Blog

Editorial Source

BUY

"Heartlake City has always had incredible living standards with plenty of amenities such as cute cafes, shopping strips and more."

Key Pros

✓Colourful set that introduces a new store to Heartlake City
✓More food-themed mascot creatures
✓Compact design that doesn't compromise on play

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Dimensional Analysis

Investment Layer

Buy now (1)Wait for sale (1)

Value drivers

Brickset Reviews: Gigi's exclusive rainbow gradient hair piece is the primary minifig value driver, with comments noting people willing to buy the set just for this single piece

Jay's Brick Blog: Gigi's pearlescent wig is a new colour variant that showcases LEGO's element design capabilities and serves as a collectible feature.

Exclusivity

Brickset Reviews: Wide retail

Jay's Brick Blog: Wide retail availability mentioned; available from LEGO.com, Amazon, Amazon Australia, or local LEGO retailers.

Minifigures & Standout Parts

In this set (6)

Friends Gigi

Friends Alba - Micro Doll, Light Aqua Dress

Alba

Friends Leo

Friends Leo - Dark Turquoise Jacket, Yellow Cropped Trousers, Medium Azure Shoes

Standout parts (per reviewers)

Gigi's rainbow gradient hair pieceValue
Distinctive new color variant that is visually striking and a key appeal of the set
1x1x2/3 dome piece in green and orangeValue
Noted as a super exciting new piece for candy representation and potential use in MOCs for lights, bubbles, slime/lava
Candy swirl doorknob
Custom-built thematic detail incorporating candy design
Brick-built mascots (unwrapped chocolate bar and wrapped candy)
Creative themed decorative elements above front door
Bubble Gum mascot representation
Smaller representation of a gum brand featured in many Friends sets
Pearlescent orange/pink/yellow wigValue
New colour variant of a wig mold previously used for Izzie in LEGO DreamZzz. Described as a mesmerising blend with pearlescent sheen, showcasing interesting colours from LEGO's element department.

What Owners Say · summarized from 54 written reviews (LEGO, Amazon, Walmart)

Owners overwhelmingly praise the set for its cute design, engaging building experience, and quality construction, with minor complaints about small fiddly pieces and occasional delivery issues from retailers.

COMMON PRAISE