We pull out the bulk Legos and we just create spaceships, trains, whatever. Creativity never ends. – Alex Nunes
HERRIMAN — “The Lego Movie” is No. 1 at the box office for the second week in a row, but one Utah man doesn’t have to go to a theater to see a Lego city.
Alex Nunes said he has been fascinated with Legos for the past 25 years. It began when he received his first set and blossomed into what is now a 270-square-foot miniature city in his basement.
It’s a city where the trains run anytime, traffic is mostly at a standstill, the upscale restaurant is always packed, and the temple never closes.
“He’s built so many fun things that I thought it would be fun to add some religion to his city and balance it out a little,” said Mindy Nunes, Alex’s wife.
He broke the news about his hobby to Mindy when they were dating. He built the city’s hospital for her, since she's a nurse.
Now, Mindy has the favorite home of the neighborhood and said she loves that all of those small Lego bricks stay in one place.
“I don’t have to vacuum them up all day long. My baby won’t eat them. They won’t get stuck in the couch cushions,” she said. “So it’s nice to have them all down here (in the basement).”
In the outskirts of town is the airport. The city also features an IKEA store, a race track and even. KSL Chopper 5. And just added Monday, the city now features Lego versions of KSL reporter Carole Mikita and photographer Matt Powers.
Alex and Mindy have two boys — Joshua and James, age 7 and 19 months. Their dad wasted no time passing his love of Legos on to his sons.
“We pull out the bulk Legos and we just create spaceships, trains, whatever,” Alex said. “Creativity never ends.”
There’s no end in sight for the expansion of Herriman Lego city either. Next on the horizon? A skyscraper, he said.
Email: cmikita@deseretnews.com