Pieceful Project opens second location in Cary

Jessica Stetson for years considered the kind of store she wanted to open, but it was the application for the McHenry Riverwalk Shoppes that finally got her to make it happen.

With five days left before the application window closed last year, Stetson wrote a 42-page plan for her store, The Pieceful Project. It would be a place for kids who liked Legos, board games and puzzles, and for women and families who might not feel comfortable going to traditional gaming stores.

Stetson won one of the 10 tiny shop spots just before Christmas. Shortly after learning she’d have one of the stores for the 2024 season, she also signed the lease for what is now the flagship store, at 27 Jandus Road, Cary.

“I would have failed here if I didn’t have the tiny shop,” Stetson said during the Cary store’s ribbon-cutting Wednesday. “It helped me to believe in it and to sign the letter of intent for this space.”

What she hopes both locations can be is a community space, where kids of all ages can come in to play with Legos, puzzles and board games – all things made up of smaller pieces, hence the name.

“The idea is they can come down here with friends ... and work on projects here or play a game,” Stetson said.

There are hundreds of Lego sets, puzzles and games to buy, but that isn’t the only way her customers will be able to play, Stetson said.

She has rental plans, where Lego lovers can rent a 7,500-piece Lego set, put it together, then bring it back. A subscription service is similar to rentals, but with a monthly fee instead of a one-time rental.

Subscribers could make the 5,200-piece Avengers Tower from the Marvel Cinematic Universe at the store “because they don’t want it at their house,” Stetson said.

If customers want a place to play games or work on puzzles with friends, they can rent one of the tables in the Cary store’s back room.

They also can buy the rare sets made for adults, including Lego’s flowers and plants.

Melanie Kovatch, 22, was checking out the Lego Botanical Collection. “This is so, so cool. This is awesome,” Kovatch said. She works for Stetson’s bookkeeping service and was checking out the bonsai tree kit.

“I haven’t found it in person before” but had looked at ordering it online, Kovatch said.

Plans are to make the back room available for birthday parties and other events.

If those parties and play events get to be too much, there is a quiet room. While they usually are offered for children on the autism spectrum, adults who need a few minutes away from the noise also can use the room, Stetson said

Artist Carmen Martin was working on the quiet room’s mural during the ribbon-cutting. She still wasn’t sure what the final design was going to be, but wanted it to feel like nature and create a peaceful and serene space for children.

“I want them to feel engaged, interested and welcomed,” Martin said.

For information about the store, including hours and rentals, go to thepiecefulproject.com.