Bricks & Minifigs Permanently Closes Salem Store After Controversies And Findings Of "Gross Negligence"

Bricks & Minifigs has announced that its Salem, Oregon, location will permanently close, ending months of controversy surrounding one of the company's most talked-about franchise stores. The decision was revealed in a June 4, 2026 blog post, where the LEGO reseller said it had also agreed to separate from the store's franchise owners, Brandon Best and Joshua Johnson. The closure comes while questions continue surrounding a LEGO Star Wars collection linked to the Mansell family. The store had been under public scrutiny since YouTuber Reckless Ben released a lengthy investigation centered on claims that the collection was never returned after being provided to the Salem location.

Company says investigation uncovered issues with store operations

Rather than focusing only on the social media attention surrounding the case, Bricks & Minifigs also shared findings from its own internal review.

According to the company, investigators found what it described as "significant evidence of gross negligence" connected to how the store had been operated in the past. The statement also pointed to problems during ownership transition periods and challenges involving document recovery efforts.

In the same announcement, the company said the combination of those findings and what it called a "devastating social media campaign" played a role in the decision to permanently close the location and part ways with the franchise owners.

Bricks & Minifigs says it has contacted the Mansell family directly

The company also provided an update on its communication with Bryan Mansell and his family.

According to the blog post, BAM leadership has personally reached out to them and expressed interest in reviewing documentation uncovered during the investigation. The company said it hopes to reach what it described as a mutual and positive resolution with the family.

That outreach was one of the few forward-looking developments included in the statement, as much of the announcement focused on the investigation and closure decision.

New valuation challenges one of the biggest claims in the case

The same investigation also examined the value of the Mansell family's LEGO collection.

Bricks & Minifigs said newly reviewed records suggest the collection was worth between $95,000 and $100,000. The company claimed the review uncovered three separate sets of books maintained by the previous owner, each containing different records related to sales and inventory.

According to BAM, the revised estimate aligns with comments Bryan Mansell previously made during an April 2025 appearance on the Collecting Weekly podcast. The company also noted that it matches the amount of products and cash he reportedly sought during a visit to the store around November 2024.

Company rejects widely shared $200,000 figure

One of the most debated numbers connected to the case has been the claim that the collection was worth $200,000.

Bricks & Minifigs said that figure was never supported by documentation uncovered during the investigation. According to the company, the number came from promotional material used ahead of a public viewing event in November 2023.

The retailer stated that both Bryan Mansell and the store's previous owner had referenced the amount publicly at the time to generate interest around the display. BAM's investigation concluded that the figure should not be treated as an official valuation of the collection.