Evan Borin and Salima Matariyeh Opened Bricks and Minifigs in December.
As parents of twin boys, Evan Borin and Salima Matariyeh had accumulated many LEGO sets over the years. But when the boys outgrew them, they turned to online selling to unload their plastic treasure trove. They soon discovered that the venture could be turned into a profitable business. Leaving behind their careers in multi-site pharmacy retail, they set off on a new path as store owners.
In November 2023, the couple seized a franchise opportunity and opened Bricks and Minifigs in Lansing. The success of that first store led them to open another location at 5204 Jackson Avenue in Ann Arbor in December 2024.
“We spent so much time over the years in Ann Arbor while living in the Lansing area,” Borin said. “We always loved Ann Arbor for its creativity, culture and atmosphere, but decided to start our journey with Bricks and Minifigs closer to home, leading us to start in Lansing before expanding into the Ann Arbor area. Our love of LEGO in general came from our passion for food, art and creativity, and we felt both communities would appreciate all that a Bricks and Minifigs store can bring to the area.”
Shoppers at the store can find thousands of individual bricks and minifigure pieces along with new, used, retired and hard-to-find sets. Visitors can browse through the LEGO Flower Shop, a feature wall that highlights a growing collection of botanical sets. The store also offers plenty of LEGO-themed merchandise.
“We like to say we have LEGO everything in our shop. Customers can find new, retired, pre-built and certified sets. Our Buy/Sell/Trade model also allows customers to bring in old LEGO parts, sets, minifigs and more for credit or cash towards new projects and to help make space for new sets.”
Bricks and Minifigs has continued to grow, with over one hundred locations in the United States and Canada. Borin and his wife hope to continue to grow with the company in the future.
“LEGO is a community. It’s all-inclusive, it’s positive, and it’s creative. When we took our first step into Bricks and Minifigs during a visit to their corporate office in 2023, all we could see and feel was this total sense of positivity, laughter, excitement and amazement at everything hidden throughout the store.”
“We witnessed customers, young and old, revisiting their childhood sets, sharing stories of themes and builds they’d only seen online or boxed up in the big box stores, pointing at their favorite figure in the minifigs cases. It was at that moment we knew we wanted to be a part of that!”
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Get to know Evan Borin and family
Tell us about yourself!
I grew up in Northern Michigan near the Traverse City area in the small town of Manton. After high school, I went to college at Michigan State University and Central Michigan University, where I earned a business degree focused around Finance and Management. My wife, Salima, grew up in the greater Chicago area, where she earned a degree as a Pharmacist.
Tell us about your family!
We have twin 17 year old boys, Ethan and Grayson. Our one and only cat, Storm, rounds out the family.
Are you a book person or movie person?
I would say a little of both. I do a ton of traveling and have for many years in my prior role, causing me to enjoy hours of books on tape. When we have time, I have no problem winding down at a movie once a week.
Dream vacation?
We love traveling and we both have Paris and Tokyo on our current bucket list. We love food and try to travel anywhere that will get us closer to a new restaurant or cuisine we haven’t tried.
Favorite Ann Arbor restaurant?
If we had to pick one, it would probably be Gandy Dancer, but we’ve had so many great meals in Ann Arbor.
What keeps you fueled during the work day?
Coffee, without question. We have probably tried twenty different places throughout the city!
Any hobbies?
LEGO has become both a hobby, a passion project and a job at the moment. I’d say snowboarding in the winter and dabbling in new Pokémon adventures are a few of our favorite things.
Do you have a dad super power?
My 17 year olds would probably say annoying them or asking them too many questions at the moment.
What do you like to do with the family on a day off?
Aaah, a day off! LOL. Truly, traveling together, catching a movie or just finding a new restaurant to try are definitely my favorite things.
Any mottos or sayings that inspire you?
“If you change the way you look at things, the things you look at change.” It’s often attributed to Dr. Wayne Dyer. I have always loved the positivity and possibility that this saying has and believe it has allowed me to overcome challenges and obstacles in ways that I may not have thought about initially.
Any advice for other parents who are thinking about becoming entrepreneurs?
Initially, it may be hard to see what impact dreaming, business ownership or exploring the unknown may have on your family, but I believe it will help my children see the possibilities. It was and is hard. There’s never enough time in the day. But the flexibility and possibilities it can bring are priceless.
