One of the biggest toy makers in the world — Lego Group — plans to open a store at Ala Moana Center chock full of the small plastic construction play bricks.

The Lego Store is scheduled to open July 29 at the mall near Sears in part of the space formerly occupied by Island Snow on the main level.

The 2,604-square-foot store is part of a reinvigorated retail expansion plan by the Danish toy company, which has about 30 U.S. Lego stores in 19 states and expects to open nine stores this year.

Julie Stern, a Lego spokeswoman, said Hawai'i was an attractive market because of a considerable number of residents who are among 2.1 million subscribers to the Lego Club magazine.

"We're really looking for the markets that have a lot of Lego kids and Lego families, and Hawai'i is one of those markets," she said.

Nelson Yrizarry, co-founder of the Lego Enthusiasts Association of Hawai'i, said the store will expose hobbyists and general consumers to Lego sets and pieces not available in local stores that carry limited supplies of Lego products.

"I think it's fantastic," he said of the planned store. "There has been a growing interest in Lego products all over the world, and having a store right here in Hawai'i will appeal to both local fans and visitors."

To help promote the store, Lego plans a grand opening on Aug. 14 with events that are slated to include one of Lego's master builders, Dan Steininger, constructing surfboards at the mall's Center Stage area. The public is invited to participate in Steininger's work, which is expected to start at 11 a.m. on Aug. 14 and continue over the next two days until 6 p.m. Aug. 16.

On Aug. 15, Lego is offering the first 300 customers who spend at least $35 in the store that day a free specially designed Lego set to construct a humuhumunukunukuapua'a and coral.

Lego Group, a privately owned family business based in Billund, Denmark, is the world's largest construction toymaker. The company reported about $1.8 billion in sales last year.

The company opened its first Lego store in 1992 at the Mall of America in Minneapolis. But building the chain was put on hold about 10 years later, after limited growth, to focus on the company's core business of developing and distributing merchandise.

Lego resumed its effort to open more Lego stores about three years ago. All the stores, except for three flagship locations near Disneyland, Disney World and at the Mall of America, are known as "yellow stores" for their predominant color scheme.

The typical store houses about 4 million bricks. Stores also feature a play area, model displays typically from professional builders and hobby groups like LEAHI — the Lego Enthusiasts Association of Hawai'i — and a wall with pieces available in bulk by the cup.

Like some other Lego stores, the Hawai'i store will host children's birthday parties, though not immediately after opening.

The bulk sale wall, known as the pick-a-brick wall, will be especially useful to Roy Gal, a LEAHI member and assistant astronomer at the University of Hawai'i's Institute for Astronomy who has accumulated an impressive collection of bricks over 14 years as a serious Lego builder.

"It's a resource for us because we are always looking to buy more parts," said Gal, who estimates he has the equivalent of three or four 4-foot-high filing cabinets filled with Lego pieces in his Waikiki apartment. "It's cheaper by the cupful."