Document And Entity Information Note To Financial Statement Details Textual Note 1 - Basis of Presentation Note 3 - Prepaid Expenses and Other Current Assets Note 4 - Accrued Expenses Note 5 - Stock-based Compensation Note 7 - Stockholders' Equity Note 8 - Income Per Share Note 10 - Segment Information Note 1 - Basis of Presentation - Adoption of ASC 606 (Details) Note 3 - Prepaid Expenses and Other Current Assets - Summary of Prepaid Expenses and Other Current Assets (Details) Income Tax Disclosure [Text Block] Note 4 - Accrued Expenses - Summary of Accrued Expenses (Details) Note 5 - Stock-based Compensation - Activity for Stock Options (Details) Note 5 - Stock-based Compensation - Activity for Time-based and Performance-based Restricted Stock (Details) Note 5 - Share-based Compensation - Outstanding Performance Shares (Details) Other assets, net Stock-based compensation us-gaap_ShareBasedCompensation us-gaap_LiabilitiesCurrent Total current liabilities Note 7 - Stockholders' Equity - Changes in Stockholders' Equity (Details) Note 8 - Income Per Share - Computation Basic and Diluted Earnings Per Common Share (Details) Note 10 - Segment Information - Financial Information for the Company's Reportable Segments (Details) Note 10 - Segment Information - Sales to External Customers and Long-lived Assets by Geographic Area (Details) Notes To Financial Statements Notes To Financial Statements [Abstract] us-gaap_ShareBasedCompensationArrangementByShareBasedPaymentAwardEquityInstrumentsOtherThanOptionsVestedInPeriodTotalFairValue Share-based Compensation Arrangement by Share-based Payment Award, Equity Instruments Other than Options, Vested in Period, Fair Value Share-based Compensation, Stock Options, Activity [Table Text Block] bbw_ProceedsFromPaymentsToTheExerciseOfEmployeeStockOptionsNetOfWithholdingTaxPayments Proceeds from the exercise of employee stock options, net of withholding tax payments The cash outflow or inflow resulting from the exercised employee stock options, net of the tax payments for withholding. Lease related liabilities bbw_IncreaseDecreaseInLeaseRelatedLiabilities Change in liability related to deferred and accrued rent in the reporting period. Share-based Compensation, Performance Shares Award Outstanding Activity [Table Text Block] Granted (in dollars per share) us-gaap_ShareBasedCompensationArrangementByShareBasedPaymentAwardEquityInstrumentsOtherThanOptionsGrantsInPeriodWeightedAverageGrantDateFairValue Vested (in dollars per share) us-gaap_ShareBasedCompensationArrangementByShareBasedPaymentAwardEquityInstrumentsOtherThanOptionsVestedInPeriodWeightedAverageGrantDateFairValue Forfeited (in dollars per share) us-gaap_ShareBasedCompensationArrangementByShareBasedPaymentAwardEquityInstrumentsOtherThanOptionsForfeituresWeightedAverageGrantDateFairValue Schedule of Share-based Compensation, Restricted Stock and Restricted Stock Units Activity [Table Text Block] us-gaap_ShareBasedCompensationArrangementByShareBasedPaymentAwardEquityInstrumentsOtherThanOptionsNonvestedWeightedAverageGrantDateFairValue Outstanding, beginning of period (in dollars per share) Outstanding, end of period (in dollars per share) us-gaap_ShareBasedCompensationArrangementByShareBasedPaymentAwardEquityInstrumentsOtherThanOptionsForfeitedInPeriod Forfeited (in shares) Foreign currency translation adjustment Performance shares (in shares) Outstanding, beginning of period (in shares) Outstanding, end of period (in shares) Prepaid Expenses and Other Assets [Text Block] The entire disclosure for prepaid expenses and other current assets. Options and Restricted Stock [Member] Represents such share based compensation awards as options and restricted stock. Granted (in shares) us-gaap_ShareBasedCompensationArrangementByShareBasedPaymentAwardEquityInstrumentsOtherThanOptionsGrantsInPeriod us-gaap_ShareBasedCompensationArrangementByShareBasedPaymentAwardEquityInstrumentsOtherThanOptionsVestedInPeriod Vested (in shares) Depreciation and amortization Depreciation and amortization us-gaap_AssetsCurrent Total current assets Stockholders' Equity Note Disclosure [Text Block] us-gaap_InterestIncomeExpenseNonoperatingNet Interest expense (income), net Common stock, par value $0.01, Shares authorized: 50,000,000; Issued and outstanding: 14,956,711, 15,515,960 and 15,917,449 shares, respectively Adjustments to reconcile net income to net cash provided by operating activities: us-gaap_ShareBasedCompensationArrangementByShareBasedPaymentAwardOptionsOutstandingWeightedAverageExercisePrice Outstanding, beginning of period, weighted average exercise price (in dollars per share) Outstanding, end of period, weighted average exercise price (in dollars per share) Common stock, shares authorized (in shares) Forfeited, weighted average exercise price (in dollars per share) Common stock, shares issued (in shares) Canceled or expired, weighted average exercise price (in dollars per share) Common stock, par value (in dollars per share) Sales tax payable Granted, weighted average exercise price (in dollars per share) Exercised, weighted average exercise price (in dollars per share) Accrued expenses Accrued expenses Total Accrued wages, bonuses and related expenses Current income taxes payable Range [Domain] Maximum [Member] Minimum [Member] us-gaap_ShareBasedCompensationArrangementByShareBasedPaymentAwardNonOptionEquityInstrumentsExpirations Canceled or expired (in shares) Accounts payable Other us-gaap_ShareBasedCompensationArrangementByShareBasedPaymentAwardOptionsOutstandingNumber Outstanding, beginning of period (in shares) Outstanding, end of period (in shares) Product and Service [Axis] Product and Service [Domain] Range [Axis] Canceled or expired (in shares) Deferred tax assets Deferred tax assets Preferred stock, par value $0.01, Shares authorized: 15,000,000; No shares issued or outstanding at November 3, 2018, December 30, 2017 and October 28, 2017 Preferred stock, shares issued (in shares) Prepaid income taxes North America [Member] us-gaap_PolicyTextBlockAbstract Accounting Policies Prepaid occupancy Geographical [Axis] Gift cards and customer deposits Gift cards and customer deposits Geographical [Domain] Preferred stock, shares authorized (in shares) Europe [Member] Schedule of Revenue from External Customers and Long-Lived Assets, by Geographical Areas [Table Text Block] us-gaap_PaymentsToAcquireProductiveAssets Capital expenditures, net Inventories Preferred stock, par value (in dollars per share) us-gaap_TranslationAdjustmentFunctionalToReportingCurrencyGainLossReclassifiedToEarningsNetOfTax Translation Adjustment Functional to Reporting Currency, Gain (Loss), Reclassified to Earnings, Net of Tax Accrued rent and related expenses us-gaap_PaymentsToAcquireIntangibleAssets Purchases of other assets and other intangible assets Other bbw_StockholdersEquityOtherAdjustmentsAttributableToParent Other adjustments to all stockholders' equity (deficit) items, net of receivables from officers, directors, owners, and affiliates of the entity which are attributable to the parent. us-gaap_PaymentsToAcquirePropertyPlantAndEquipment Purchases of property and equipment Dilutive effect of share-based awards: (in shares) us-gaap_ShareBasedCompensationArrangementByShareBasedPaymentAwardNumberOfSharesAuthorized Share-based Compensation Arrangement by Share-based Payment Award, Number of Shares Authorized Net cash paid during the period for income taxes Current liabilities: Shares used in computing common per share amounts: Vesting [Axis] Vesting [Domain] Adjustment: assets us-gaap_Assets Total assets Total Assets Supplemental disclosure of cash flow information: Receivables Plan Name [Axis] Plan Name [Domain] us-gaap_EmployeeServiceShareBasedCompensationNonvestedAwardsTotalCompensationCostNotYetRecognized Employee Service Share-based Compensation, Nonvested Awards, Compensation Cost Not yet Recognized, Total Cash flows used in operating activities: us-gaap_EmployeeServiceShareBasedCompensationNonvestedAwardsTotalCompensationCostNotYetRecognizedPeriodForRecognition1 Employee Service Share-based Compensation, Nonvested Awards, Compensation Cost Not yet Recognized, Period for Recognition us-gaap_NetIncomeLossAvailableToCommonStockholdersBasic Net income Schedule of Segment Reporting Information, by Segment [Table Text Block] Statement [Line Items] us-gaap_NumberOfOperatingSegments Number of Operating Segments us-gaap_NumberOfReportableSegments Number of Reportable Segments Additional paid-in capital Revenues: Disclosure of Compensation Related Costs, Share-based Payments [Text Block] AOCI Attributable to Parent [Member] Vesting at End of Three-year Performance Period [Member] Equity awards that vest at the end of their three-year performance period. 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Segment Reporting Disclosure [Text Block] Business Description and Basis of Presentation [Text Block] Equity Award [Domain] Current assets: Award Type [Axis] Net income Net loss Net income (loss) Net income (loss) before allocation of earnings to participating securities Other intangible assets, net Proceeds from property insurance Restricted Stock [Member] us-gaap_NetCashProvidedByUsedInFinancingActivities Net cash provided by (used in) financing activities Commitments and contingencies Performance Shares [Member] Deferred Costs, Capitalized, Prepaid, and Other Assets Disclosure [Table Text Block] Employee Stock Option [Member] us-gaap_NetCashProvidedByUsedInOperatingActivities Net cash used in operating activities Prepaid expenses and other current assets Prepaid expenses and other current assets Total us-gaap_NetCashProvidedByUsedInInvestingActivities Net cash used in investing activities Effect of exchange rates on cash The 2017 Omnibus Incentive Plan [Member] Represents information about the 2017 Omnibus Incentive Plan (the Incentive Plan). us-gaap_CashAndCashEquivalentsPeriodIncreaseDecrease Net decrease in cash and cash equivalents Antidilutive Securities [Axis] Antidilutive Securities, Name [Domain] us-gaap_GrossProfit Consolidated gross profit Cost of merchandise sold Accounting Standards Update 2014-09 [Member] Commitments and Contingencies Disclosure [Text Block] Property and equipment, net Property and equipment, net Less: Earnings allocated to participating securities Type of Adoption [Domain] Calculated under Revenue Guidance in Effect before Topic 606 [Member] Adjustments for New Accounting Pronouncements [Axis] Total costs and expenses Costs and expenses: Cash flows used in investing activities: us-gaap_PaymentsForRepurchaseOfCommonStock Purchases of Company's common stock bbw_PerformanceBasedSharesPayoutOpportunityPercentage Performance-based Shares, Payout Opportunity, Percentage The percentage of payout from performance based shares. Income (loss) per common share: Retained Earnings [Member] Earnings Per Share [Text Block] Revenue Revenue from Contract with Customer, Excluding Assessed Tax, Total Initial Application Period Cumulative Effect Transition [Axis] Initial Application Period Cumulative Effect Transition [Domain] Difference between Revenue Guidance in Effect before and after Topic 606 [Member] Accounts payable and accrued expenses us-gaap_IncreaseDecreaseInAccountsPayableAndAccruedLiabilities Additional Paid-in Capital [Member] Share Repurchase Program [Domain] Common Stock [Member] us-gaap_StockRepurchaseProgramAuthorizedAmount1 Stock Repurchase Program, Authorized Amount Income tax expense Income tax expense (benefit) Equity Components [Axis] Share Repurchase Program [Axis] Equity Component [Domain] Retail [Member] Time-based and Performance-based Shares [Member] Represents both time-based and performance based stock. us-gaap_IncomeLossFromContinuingOperationsBeforeIncomeTaxesExtraordinaryItemsNoncontrollingInterest Income (Loss) from Continuing Operations before Income Taxes, Noncontrolling Interest, Total Income (loss) before income taxes Deferred revenue and other Deferred franchise revenue Comprehensive Income (Loss) Note [Text Block] Canceled or expired (in dollars per share) bbw_SharebasedCompensationArrangementBySharebasedPaymentAwardEquityInstrumentsOtherThanOptionsExpirationsInPeriodWeightedAverageGrantDateFairValue Weighted average fair value as of the grant date of equity-based award plans other than stock (unit) option plans that expired during the period. Cash and cash equivalents Cash and cash equivalents, beginning of period Cash and cash equivalents, end of period us-gaap_AllocatedShareBasedCompensationExpense Allocated Share-based Compensation Expense, Total us-gaap_RepaymentsOfLongTermCapitalLeaseObligations Payments made under capital leases Revenue from Contract with Customer [Text Block] Vesting Upon Achievement of 2018-2020 Consolidated Total Revenues Growth Objectives [Member] Represents the unearned shares vesting upon achievement of 2018-2020 consolidated total revenues. bbw_EstimatedPercentageOfGiftCardRedemptionsWithinFirstTwelveMonths Estimated Percentage of Gift Card Redemptions Within First Twelve Months The estimated percentage of gift card that would redeem within first twelve months. bbw_GiftCardRedemptionPeriod Gift Card Redemption Period The redemption period of gift card. Commercial Product and Service [Member] Licensing the intellectual properties for third-party use and wholesale sales of merchandise, including supplies and fixtures. Vesting Upon Achievement of 2018-2020 Consolidated Pre-tax Income Growth Objectives [Member] Represents the unearned shares vesting upon achievement of 2018-2020 consolidated pre-tax income. Amendment Flag Accounting Policies [Abstract] us-gaap_ComprehensiveIncomeNetOfTax Comprehensive (loss) income bbw_SegmentRevenueOfConsolidatedRevenuePercentage Segment Revenue of Consolidated Revenue, Percentage The percentage of a segment revenue of consolidated revenue. Short-term borrowings Gift cards and customer deposits us-gaap_IncreaseDecreaseInGiftCardLiability Direct to Consumer [Member] Represents information pertaining to the direct to consumer operating segment. Deferred revenue us-gaap_IncreaseDecreaseInContractWithCustomerLiability Common stock, shares outstanding (in shares) Commercial [Member] Represents information pertaining to the commercial segment. Preferred stock, shares outstanding (in shares) International Franchising [Member] Represents information pertaining to the international franchising segment. Other Geographic Region [Member] Represents information pertaining to other geographic regions. Vesting Upon Achievement of 2016-2018 Consolidated Revenues Target [Member] Represents the unearned shares vesting upon achievement of 2016-2018 consolidated revenues. Current Fiscal Year End Date Vesting Upon Achievement of 2017-2019 Consolidated Pre-tax Income Target [Member] Represents the unearned shares vesting upon achievement of 2017-2019 consolidated pre-tax income. us-gaap_IncreaseDecreaseInPrepaidDeferredExpenseAndOtherAssets Prepaid expenses and other assets Document Fiscal Period Focus Document Fiscal Year Focus bbw_LitigationReceivableGross Litigation Receivable, Gross The amount of receivables before reserves in a litigation dispute. Document Period End Date Entity Emerging Growth Company bbw_LitigationReceivablesReserve Litigation Receivables, Reserve The amount of reserve receivables in a litigation dispute. Document Type bbw_LitigationReceivablesNet Litigation Receivables, Net The amount of receivables after reserve in a litigation dispute. Asset impairment Entity Small Business Document Information [Line Items] Document Information [Table] Entity Filer Category Entity Current Reporting Status Segments [Axis] Segments [Domain] us-gaap_IncreaseDecreaseInReceivables Receivables us-gaap_SharePrice Share Price us-gaap_AntidilutiveSecuritiesExcludedFromComputationOfEarningsPerShareAmount Antidilutive Securities Excluded from Computation of Earnings Per Share, Amount Diluted (in shares) us-gaap_WeightedAverageNumberOfDilutedSharesOutstanding Weighted average number of common shares outstanding - dilutive (in shares) Stock-based compensation us-gaap_AdjustmentsToAdditionalPaidInCapitalSharebasedCompensationRequisiteServicePeriodRecognitionValue Entity Central Index Key Entity Registrant Name Scenario, Forecast [Member] Borrowings under line of credit Entity [Domain] us-gaap_CapitalizedContractCostAmortizationPeriod Capitalized Contract Cost, Amortization Period Legal Entity [Axis] Statement [Table] Scenario [Axis] Statement of Financial Position [Abstract] Scenario, Unspecified [Domain] Diluted (in dollars per share) Diluted income (loss) per common share attributable to Build-A-Bear Workshop, Inc. stockholders (in dollars per share) Basic (in shares) Weighted average number of common shares outstanding - basic (in shares) Accounts Payable and Accrued Liabilities Disclosure [Text Block] us-gaap_EffectiveIncomeTaxRateContinuingOperations Effective Income Tax Rate Reconciliation, Percent, Total Basic (in dollars per share) Basic income (loss) per common share attributable to Build-A-Bear Workshop, Inc. stockholders (in dollars per share) Statement of Cash Flows [Abstract] Entity Common Stock, Shares Outstanding (in shares) us-gaap_StockRepurchasedAndRetiredDuringPeriodValue Stock Repurchased and Retired During Period, Value Share repurchase and retirement us-gaap_StockRepurchasedAndRetiredDuringPeriodShares Stock Repurchased and Retired During Period, Shares Income Statement [Abstract] Other comprehensive loss us-gaap_OtherComprehensiveIncomeLossNetOfTaxPortionAttributableToParent Schedule of Accrued Liabilities [Table Text Block] us-gaap_IncreaseDecreaseInInventories Inventories Trading Symbol us-gaap_StockIssuedDuringPeriodSharesStockOptionsExercised Exercised (in shares) us-gaap_TableTextBlock Notes Tables us-gaap_GainLossOnDispositionOfAssets1 (Gain) Loss on disposal of property and equipment Schedule of New Accounting Pronouncements and Changes in Accounting Principles [Table Text Block] Selling, general and administrative expense Provision for doubtful accounts Shares issued under employee stock plans us-gaap_StockIssuedDuringPeriodValueShareBasedCompensation Granted (in shares) Cash flows provided by (used in) financing activities: Forfeited (in shares) us-gaap_EffectiveIncomeTaxRateReconciliationAtFederalStatutoryIncomeTaxRate Effective Income Tax Rate Reconciliation, at Federal Statutory Income Tax Rate, Percent Other liabilities us-gaap_IncomeTaxReconciliationChangeInEnactedTaxRate Effective Income Tax Rate Reconciliation, Change in Enacted Tax Rate, Amount Adjustment: liabilities and stockholders' equity Net effect of Change in Liabilities and Stockholders' equity Total Liabilities and Stockholders' Equity The August 2017 Share Repurchase Program [Member] Represents information pertaining the August 2017 share repurchase program. 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