Building blocks for a new business
Specialized business support helps Bricks & Minifigs Bradley build & grow
Overview
Inspired by family, community, and connection, Christena Estby and her co-owners founded their new Bricks & Minifigs franchise. With the support of their First Financial Bank Business Specialists, they navigate obstacles and build their business.
The Vision
Estby’s two youngest sons (who have Duchenne Muscular Dystrophy) are participants in a clinical trial that requires regular travel from their home in the Chicago area to St. Louis. They often try to visit the zoo or another attraction to make these visits more enjoyable. One rainy day, they visited the Glen Carbon, IL, location of Bricks & Minifigs, a franchise for “anything and everything LEGO®,” according to Estby. The environment was warm and inviting, with friendly and knowledgeable staff. A few weeks later, the family found themselves at another Bricks & Minifigs location in Myrtle Beach. After a similarly great experience, Estby’s oldest son wondered aloud if they should open their own franchise close to home. With that conversation, the LEGO® wheels started turning and an idea became reality.
Bricks & Minifigs Bradley co-owners, their families, and members of the First Financial Bank team (center: Harry Langbehn, Virgil Underwood).
Along with her oldest son and husband, two close family friends (the Sorensens) were eager to join in this adventure. These 5 co-owners “do life together,” so it was natural that they’d share the work of starting a business. The hope is that this opportunity will allow Estby’s sons to continue to stay engaged in the community, despite their eventual physical limitations. The Sorensens' love and support of the Estbys’ dream for this joint venture will teach their own children about building a business, developing a strong work ethic, and creating community. Construction is underway on their Bradley, IL, Bricks & Minifigs location, which will have retail space to buy, sell, and trade bricks, plus a room available for birthday parties and community events.
Banking with First Financial
When it came time to choose a bank, Estby and her co-owners knew they’d need funding to get things off the ground. “We knew we’d feel more comfortable with a local bank,” Estby said, so her husband, Cory, and their business partner, Karen began making phone calls. After one conversation with First Financial Bank, the decision was clear. “The initial connection was comfortable and easy. First Financial is professional but not all business; they make everything feel doable.”
Construction kicked off at the new Bricks & Minifigs franchise in January 2026, supported by an SBA loan from First Financial. The timing to close the loan posed a challenge, with a government shutdown pausing the process and increasing last-minute paperwork needs. Securing funding for a new business can be daunting, but the Bricks & Minifigs team was never alone in navigating a complex financial landscape. First Financial’s SBA loan specialist and business banking specialist provided guidance and know-how from the first phone call until loan closing, and beyond. Through it all, Estby found communication from the First Financial team to be quick and seamless.
As the Bricks & Minifigs team works toward their grand opening, scheduled for the end of April, First Financial Bank is a trusted, local banking resource. “Getting a loan isn’t easy, but the guidance we received throughout the process was very helpful. Without First Financial, we wouldn’t be anywhere near moving forward.”