In many ways the own brand stores were something of a distraction to management and to
the core business. Capital intensive, demanding a completely different skill set, the
strategy was at odds with the ambitions and objectives of the major customer groups. Key
retailers including Walmart, Kmart, Target and Toys R US, were unlikely to take kindly to
the own retail concept. They were already frustrated with the loss of focus on the basics of
the LEGO business and the lack of stock turn and margin performance of the product offer
in store.