By JULIE CARLE
BG Independent News
Brick by brick, Billy Seiling is building a Bowling Green business that in LEGO® terms might be considered a Collector’s Edition.
His family business, Refresh Toys—soon to become Refresh Bricks to better align with the fact the business deals only in Lego products—started primarily as a birthday party and Lego play place.
On Tuesday, he and his family and friends (aka loyal customers), and the Bowling Green Chamber of Commerce cut the ribbon on the store’s new location at 102 W. Poe Road, just steps away from the previous site.
The new space affords the business the ability to give customers more room to browse its extensive and impressive inventory.
The move represents another major step for Seiling and his family business.
“We already have the largest selection of Lego bricks in — I wouldn’t say northwest Ohio, but it’s larger than that,” Seiling said, estimating the store draws from a radius of roughly an hour and a half to two hours. “There are corporate versions of this. We destroy them as far as selection goes and inventory. But the big thing now is getting people to know that we exist.”
Refresh Bricks buys and sells Lego products, including sets that can be difficult to find. Seiling said he hopes the new location will make the shopping experience less overwhelming while giving the business room to display its growing inventory.
At the previous store, he said, customers could find plenty of products, but everything was packed into a much smaller footprint.
“You walk in, it was just on top of you,” Seiling said. “It can be good because you walk in there and it’s like, ‘Oh my God, they have everything.’ But I found it to be very overwhelming for people.”
The new space offers a huge space for customers to see the massive inventory, but also to come in and play with bin after bin of the bricks in the Brick Room. Another advantage: there is actually room for the business to continue evolving. Behind one wall, Seiling sees the potential for a birthday party room, bringing the company closer to its original purpose.
“When we first opened, it was a birthday party venue. We didn’t sell anything,” he said. “That was just a weekend endeavor.”
At the time, Seiling was also working full-time at the post office. As the business grew, however, it began selling products and eventually became large enough for him to make it his full-time career.
The growth accelerated after the business moved from the mall. Seiling said sales jumped dramatically after that move, allowing the operation to expand from a one-person venture into a business with six employees.
“It’s a far cry from when I first started it was just me in the mall by myself,” he said.
Jason Fox, a retired firefighter and current store manager, is thrilled to be a part of Seiling’s Lego store family.
For him, Legos are more than just a hobby, they have been “an outlet that helped me get through my hard times” after being diagnosed with Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder.
“I have a genuine love for Lego,” he said.
With a room in his house full of built Harry Potter and other Lego creations, Fox considers himself an avid collector and AFOL (adult fan of Lego). He thought about having a Lego store, but after he saw Seiling’s store was already established, he knew another Lego store was “just a race to the bottom, and nobody wins.”
Eventually, when Seiling was able to bring on employees, Fox was hired and then made store manager in 2025.
“Seeing the kids come in, and adults alike, it’s just the joy that makes Lego almost magical,” he said.
The new location reflects a significant investment in the business and the Bowling Green community. During the ribbon-cutting, Bowling Green Mayor Mike Aspacher praised Seiling for choosing to continue growing locally.
“Starting out in the mall, then the smaller store, now a little bit bigger store,” Aspacher said. “We are really grateful that you’re investing in the Bowling Green community.”
“We’re super excited for you,” said Chamber Executive Director Mary Hinkelman. “I understand about $10,000 was invested into this move, and I know that doesn’t come easy for small business people. So we appreciate your investment in this community, and we’re invested in you, too.”
Lego store in your backyard
For Seiling, the business remains deeply personal. He said he originally started it for his family, with sons five-year-old Arlie and four-year-old Clint, and now considers it the best job he has ever had.
And while the store already attracts customers willing to drive 45 minutes, an hour or more to shop, he hopes the new space will help even more local residents discover that a major destination for buying and selling Lego products is right in their own community.
Jason and Wendy McCoy are loyal customers who know Seiling’s store is a gold standard when it comes to the variety and quality of Lego products available.
“We come here from Sylvania every couple of weeks, and we usually hang out for three or four hours,” Jason McCoy said. The inventory is outstanding and the store employees are helpful and welcoming, Wendy McCoy explained.
Jason admitted he didn’t play with Lego bricks growing up. However, when asked if he is a collector, he quickly responded, “I am now,” thanks to a son, now 21, who played with them growing up and is still the one who assembles many of the kits for his parents, if they don’t buy them already assembled.
One of Wendy’s favorites is a grand piano that has keys that move as it plays music thanks to Bluetooth capability. She also had a handful of the new Lego Shrek characters, ready to buy to see what characters were hidden in the small packages.
“There’s something for everybody here,” she said.
“I think this will be a game changer,” Seiling said about the new location and the future possibilities. “I hope you’ll give us a chance and come check out our store. Bring your grandkids, bring your kids. This is meant for kids and it has a lot more character than big box stores that you just walk through. Our number one priority is taking care of our customers.”
The store is open Monday through Sunday, 10 a.m. to 8 p.m. Find out more about the store and updates on the Facebook page at facebook.com/RefreshBricks.
