BUILD-A-BEAR WORKSHOP

'Build-A-Bear Workshop' () is an American retailer that sells customizable teddy bears and other stuffed animals. Build-A-Bear is the largest of the create-your-own animal chains with the other companies in the business consisting of regional and/or locally-owned operations. The company motto is "Where Best Friends Are Made."

Contents

History

Notable Bears

Stores

Other Stores

Trivia

Controversy

Basic Brown Bear Factory Lawsuit

References

External links

History

Build-A-Bear Workshop was founded by Maxine Clark in 1997. The first store opened in the Saint Louis Galleria. Ten years on, over 300 stores have been opened in countries worldwide including the United States, Canada, Japan, Korea, Denmark,Germany, Sweden, the Netherlands, Australia, France, Russia, Taiwan, Norway, Puerto Rico and the United Kingdom.
On March 7, 2006, Build-A-Bear Workshop announced that it had given $1 million (US) to the World Wildlife Fund through the sales of its WWF Collectibear® stuffed animal series. For each plush animal sold one dollar goes to WWF to protect and conserve wildlife around the world.^[1]
On May 10, 2006, Build-A-Bear announced a line of toys based on its store would be included in McDonald's Happy Meals. It became McDonald's first plush toy collection to feature removable, mix-and-match clothing. Sixteen bears were created. They were released during the four weeks between May 12 and June 8. Each of the 16 bears were released in one of two outfits, distinct to it, making 32 toys in all, before children "mix-and-match".^[2]
In 2006, the company acquired "The Bear Factory" in the United Kingdom from Hamleys Toys Store.

Notable Bears

★ ''Bearemy'' is Build A Bear Workshop's primary mascot. Guests can build their own Bearemy or buy his mascot outfit in stores.

★ ''Pawlette Coufur'', a well-dressed bunny, is Build A Bear's "fashion adviser to the furry famous."^[3]

Stores

Build-A-Bear also owns "Make Your Own Mascot" stores at Citizens Bank Park (Philadelphia), Jacobs Field (Cleveland), Great American Ballpark (Cincinnati), AT&T Park (San Francisco) and Busch Stadium (St. Louis) featuring the home team's respective mascots, as well as one for Boston Red Sox mascot Wally the Green Monster in the Faneuil Hall Marketplace store.

Other Stores

★ Friends 2B Made is an interactive store similar to Build-A-Bear, allowing customers to make dolls and purchase related accessories

★ Build-A-Dino allows customers to create a stuffed dinosaur and purchase related accessories. The first location was located at Chesterfield Mall in Chesterfield, Missouri, which recently closed to relocate to the St. Louis Science Center.

★ Ridemakerz is an interactive store similar to Build-A-Bear, allowing customers to build rides.

Trivia

★ To celebrate the release of the 2006 film ''Happy Feet'', plush toys featuring Mumble, the young penguin of the film, have been created and sold. The toys can be fitted with a sound box that says four lines from the film.

★ In honor of the company's ten year anniversary, Build-A-Bear Workshop declared 2007 to be "The Year of Friendship".

★ A new set of limited edition bears called ""friends fur all seasons" has arrived. The Spring Bear and Summer Bear have been released but are no longer available, and the Autumn Bear has just come out.

★ For Dr. Seuss's birthday Build A Bear released a The Cat in the Hat.

★ For the premiere of ''Shrek the Third'', Build-A-Bear is featuring a make-your-own Shrek as well as Shrek-themed outfits and limited edition Shrek babies.

★ For the premiere of ''Surf's Up (film)'', Build-A-Bear is featuring a Cody Maverick penguin.

★ The Game Factory has just announced that it has signed a deal with Build a Bear to make a video game for the Nintendo DS that will come out in Christmas 2007.

Controversy

Basic Brown Bear Factory Lawsuit

In 1999, The owners of Basic Brown Bear Factory of San Francisco, Ca, Eric and Merrilee Woods, sued Build-A-Bear for misappropriating trade secrets, copyright infringement, unfair competition, and breach of confidence. A confidential settlement agreement was reached between the two parties.
According to legal filings, Maxine Clark approached Basic Brown Bear Factory in 1996 to negotiate a buyout offer. Eric and Merrilee Woods were interested in selling the business to Clark to expand it nationally, with the agreement that the Woods would remain as officers. The Woods assert that Clark was exposed to the inner workings of the business and signed a confidentiality agreement. She then gave a low-ball offer, which the Woods rejected, resulting in Clark quickly departing to organize Build-A-Bear with their trade secrets.
Maxine Clark has stated "We have never claimed that we were the first to have make-your-own stuffed animal businesses in the United States." Furthermore, Build-A-Bear has subsequently applied for or acquired many patents, copyrights, and trademarks related to the business of "create-your-own-animal".^[4]

References

1. Build-A-Bear Workshop(R) Donates Million for World Wildlife Fund, 7 March 2006
2. Build-A-Bear Workshop(R) Featured in McDonald's(R) Happy Meal(R) and Mighty Kids Meals; ''Summer of Happy Meal Fun'' Series Includes First-Ever Plush Collection with Removable Clothing, 10 May 2006
3. Build A Bear's mascots
4. Teddy bear tussle - The fur is flying in the legal wars over who owns the rights to sell make-your-own toys

External links

★ Build-A-Bear Workshop corporate website