Lego Has Disavowed a New Pop-Up Bar Made of Legos

The Legobar, when it was initially teased last week, sounded just fine in theory. The pop-up bar would be bulldozing its way into such major cities as New York and Sydney and London starting in spring of this year. It would be constructed of over 1 million Lego blocks, and it promised to transport you to your childhood on a “nostalgia trip” filled with toy blocks you can build with as local DJs “spin tunes all day.” Ready your Instagram story!

But Lego proper—that is, the Danish toy company—would like you to know that it has nothing at all to do with this pop-up. Nothing at all.

The Legobar was forced to change its name, Eater Montreal reported on Tuesday, by Lego earlier this week. What was once known as Legobar now goes by “thebrickbars.”

The toy company’s justification for ordering the bar to change its name was that Lego could not in good faith condone the existence of a bar bearing the toy company’s name and encouraging its patrons to galavant with drunken glee as they smash pretend-bricks together. Legos, after all, are meant for innocent play, and Lego is a brand that’s long positioned itself as being family-oriented—fun for all ages, but mostly kids.

"The event you are referring to is not affiliated with the Lego Group," a Lego representative wrote MUNCHIES over email on Wednesday. "As a manufacturer of children’s toys, it is not within our remit to partner with brands or individuals operating the food and beverages sector. Our primary focus is on inspiring and developing children through providing fun and engaging play materials."

The company declined to elaborate on when it first got in contact with the pop-up and demanded that organizers change its name.

Thebrickbars, who could not be reached for comment on Wednesday, hasn't aborted its plans to roam the world; it will simply do so under a different name. However, it has since disappeared all mention of the Lego brand that was once on its homepage, save for the disclaimer in tiny typeface at the bottom of the page: “We are not associated with Lego®.”

The world loves Legos—but sometimes, love hurts.