Press Release
BUILD-A-BEAR WORKSHOP® Opens at University Park mall in South Bend, Indiana
Build-A-Bear Workshop is based on the premise that nearly everyone, regardless of age, has a special fondness for stuffed animals. When Guests visit a Build-A-Bear Workshop store, they enter a lighthearted teddy-bear themed environment consisting of fun bear-making stations. Guests choose their furry friend to make, stuff it just right, and add personality with hundreds of outfits and accessories. The company is also known for the memorable heart ceremony that takes place during the bear-making process. This station allows Guests to choose a red satin heart, make a special wish and place it inside their stuffed animal.
As part of the grand opening
celebration, on Saturday, August 13, Build-A-Bear Workshop invites the first 200
Guests to participate in Stuffed with Hugs Project Bearlift and make a bear for
free. These bears will be donated to UNICEF for distribution to children affected
by the Tsunami. Stuffed with Hugs™ began in 2001 and since then Build-A-Bear
Workshop has donated over 125,000 bears to worthy causes. Build-A-Bear Workshop
is a store for, and about, kids and Stuffed with Hugs has allowed kids to put
smiles on the faces of tens of thousands of other children. It is a simple, yet
significant way for kids to help other kids and make a difference.
Maxine
Clark, Founder and Chief Executive Bear of Build-A-Bear Workshop® is looking
forward to opening in South Bend. She notes, "Our plan is always to open
in the premier malls across the country, and we will continue this approach as
we open at University Park Mall. We have many Guests who have visited our other
stores and personally written to me requesting a Build-A-Bear Workshop store at
University Park Mall. In fact, the South Bend/Mishawaka area is one of the most
requested areas by local residents and college students that we have had over
the last several years. Now we will be able to reach even more of our friends
in South Bend continuing our strategy to bring our stores to wherever families
go to have fun," says Clark.
As Guests enter a Build-A-Bear Workshop store they are introduced to a variety of stuffed animals including bears, dogs, cats, bunnies, monkeys and a series of Beary Limited™ edition Collectibear® animals. Build-A-Bear Workshop stuffed animals are very affordable, ranging in price from $10-$25. Hundreds of coordinating outfits and accessories are also available to further personalize new furry friends. Guests in South Bend have the chance to show their team spirit by purchasing special bear-sized Chicago White Sox, Chicago Cubs and Detroit Tigers uniforms, Tiny Tees® and accessories. In addition, Indiana Pacers, Detroit Pistons and Chicago Bulls jerseys are available for all basketball fans.
Community Partners
A major focus of the company
is its continued commitment to causes that support children and animals. When
Guests purchase any of the Build-A-Bear Workshop cause animals, which include
Nikki's Bear II, Read Teddy®, Bearemy Kennel Pals® dogs, and World Wildlife
Fund Collectibear® friends, a portion of the proceeds go directly to charitable
organizations. In addition to the cause-related animals, Build-A-Bear Workshop
launched the Huggable Heroes™ program in 2004 as a way to recognize and honor
young people that have impacted their own neighborhoods, schools and communities
by giving of themselves to others. It is a program that empowers and inspires
children to get involved because Build-A-Bear Workshop believes that young people
can affect change. More information about the Huggable Heroes program is available
online at http://huggableheroes.buildabear.com.
Build-A-Bear Workshop, Inc. (NYSE: BBW), with fiscal 2004 total revenue of $302 million, is the only national company that offers Guests an interactive make-your-own-stuffed animal retail-entertainment experience. The first store opened in St. Louis in 1997; the company currently operates over 190 stores in the United States and Canada. With the opening of its store in Sheffield, England, in the fall of 2003 and the addition of international stores in Japan, Denmark, Australia, South Korea and France, Build-A-Bear Workshop® has become the global leader in the teddy bear business. In November 2004, the company opened two friends 2B made® stores, the newest concept based on the doll-making experience. For more information about the company and its products, call 888.560.BEAR (2327) or visit the company's award-winning web site at www.buildabear.com.
TRADEMARKS
We would like to thank you for your interest in business. As you write your
story we ask that you use our full Name: Build-A-Bear Workshop® and that when
referencing the process of making stuffed animals you use the word "make"
not "build".
Build-A-Bear Workshop® is our well-known trade
name and our registered trademark of Build-A-Bear Workshop, Inc. Build-A-Bear
Workshop® should only be used in capital letters to refer to our products
and services and should not be used as a verb.
Contact: Jennifer Mansell
314.423.8000 Ext. 5402
414.801.1146 cell
jenniferm@buildabear.com
Carrie Stindel
314.423.8000 Ext. 5427
314.303.6996 cell
carries@buildabear.com