Brands
Chennai clicks into place as Lego builds its first certified store in Tamil Nadu
MUMBAI: Chennai just got its newest reason to snap into joy Lego has finally clicked into the city, with its first-ever Lego Certified Store opening on 28 November 2025, marking the toy giant’s official entry into Tamil Nadu and signalling a major push into South India’s fast-growing premium retail scene.
Spread across ~2800 sq. ft. of ground-floor space, the store is designed as a full-blown playground for builders of every age. From immersive play zones and model displays to the iconic Pick-a-Brick Wall and a Make Your Own Minifig station, the space brings Chennai an authentic, world-class Lego experience. Adding to the excitement is an impressive portfolio of exclusive-to-store-only sets, spanning quick builds, rare collectibles, and complex, advanced creations.
To sweeten the grand opening, shoppers spending Rs 10,000 or more can unlock a free Lego Mini Store through a Gift-with-Purchase offer and if that’s not persuasive enough, the launch weekend brings a flurry of Black Friday deals, making the debut impossible for fans to ignore.
“We’re really excited to bring the authentic Lego experience to Chennai with our first certified store here,” said Lego India general manager Bhavana Mandon. She added that the strong response in Gurugram and Bengaluru has boosted confidence to expand across high-potential cities, with Chennai seen as a natural next step for its creative and family-driven culture.
For Ample Group, Lego’s retail partner in India, the launch is both a milestone and a springboard. “This marks an exciting new chapter for Lego enthusiasts in Tamil Nadu,” said Ample Group CEO & founder Rajesh Narang. “Chennai’s strong affinity for culture, creativity and family experiences makes it the perfect home for Lego, and this opening reflects our commitment to bringing leading global brands closer to Indian consumers.”
And Ample isn’t stopping at Chennai. Riding the momentum, the company is set to open a second Lego Certified Store in Bengaluru just weeks later, a 4,393 sq. ft. large-format destination featuring expanded experiential zones, interactive installations, and all hallmark Lego retail signatures. Located in one of the city’s busiest premium retail districts, the Bengaluru store aims to become a flagship-like hub for the region.
Together, the back-to-back launches position South India as one of Lego’s fastest-growing markets, blending nostalgia, creativity and premium retail in a region known for its appetite for global experiences. While Chennai lays the foundation with a vibrant new store, Bengaluru is set to elevate the experience even further, creating a thriving community of families, hobbyists and lifelong builders.
With the bricks now firmly in place, Lego’s South India chapter looks ready to build and build big.
Brands
Lululemon picks former Nike executive to be its next chief
Heidi O’Neill, who helped grow Nike into a $45 billion giant, will take the top job in September
CANADA: Lululemon has found its next chief executive, and she comes with serious credentials. The athleisure giant named Heidi O’Neill as its new CEO on Wednesday, ending a search that has left the company running on interim leadership since earlier this year. O’Neill will take charge on September 8, 2026, based out of Vancouver, and will join the board on the same day.
O’Neill brings more than three decades of experience across performance apparel, footwear and sport. The bulk of that time was spent at Nike, where she was a central figure in one of corporate sport’s great growth stories, helping take the company from a $9 billion business to a $45 billion global powerhouse. She oversaw product pipelines, brand strategy and consumer connections, and played a significant role in shaping how Nike spoke to athletes around the world. Earlier in her career, she worked in marketing for the Dockers brand at Levi Strauss. She also brings boardroom experience from Spotify Technology, Hyatt Hotels and Lithia and Driveway.
The board was unequivocal in its enthusiasm. “We selected Heidi because of the breadth of her experience, her demonstrated success delivering breakthrough ideas and initiatives at scale, and her ability to be a knowledgeable change and growth agent,” said Marti Morfitt, executive chair of Lululemon’s board.
O’Neill, for her part, was bullish. “Lululemon is an iconic brand with something rare: genuine guest love, a product ethos rooted in innovation, and a global platform still in the early stages of its potential,” she said. “My job will be to accelerate product breakthroughs, deepen the brand’s cultural relevance, and unlock growth in markets around the world.”
Until she arrives, Meghan Frank and André Maestrini will continue as interim co-CEOs, before returning to their previous senior leadership roles once O’Neill steps in.
Lululemon is betting that a Nike veteran who helped build one of the world’s most powerful sports brands can do something similar for an athleisure label that has genuine love from its customers but is still chasing its full global potential. O’Neill has done it before at scale. The question now is whether she can do it again.
