Our mission is a natural extension of the Build-A-Bear vision, which is to empower kids of all ages to express themselves in a safe, warm space through services, experiences and, of course, furry friends! Through our company's vision, our Guests rediscover - and celebrate - the heart of childhood.

The Most Fun You'll Ever Make “The Most Fun You'll Ever Make” – that's the motto behind the iconic global retailer, Build-A-Bear Workshop, which offers guests the opportunity to make personalized stuffed animals, including adding smells, sounds and outfits.

The stuffed animals have sparked backlash from conservatives who believe drag is connected to child "grooming," though the bears are made for adults and only available online in the store's "Bear Cave" for customers 18 and older. According to Build-A-Bear, adults and teens make up about 40% of their customer base.

Features

• Make your own furry friend using the stylus and microphone in all of the Build-A-Bear Workshop stations including Choose Me, Stuff Me, Fluff Me and Name Me.
• Choose from 8 different characters - Dimple Teddy, Sassy Kitty, Mocha Bunny, Marvelous Monkey, Velvet Teddy, Friendly Frog, Playful Puppy, Pink Poodle.

How satisfied are employees working at Build-A-Bear? 52% of Build-A-Bear employees would recommend working there to a friend based on Glassdoor reviews. Employees also rated Build-A-Bear 3.3 out of 5 for work life balance, 3.5 for culture and values and 2.9 for career opportunities.

Originally conceived as a place for children to create their own special teddy bear with a step-by-step process including our now iconic Heart Ceremony, Build-A-Bear is now a multi-generational, multi-dimensional global brand appealing to diverse consumer demographics.

Although the bear safety rhyme “If it's brown, lay down. If it's black, fight back. If it's white, goodnight” sounds like good advice, you have to know why a bear is attacking you before you can decide the best way to respond.

With the growing popularity of brand enthusiasts and collectors, along with the trend of "kidulting", where adults seek traditional childhood toys, the brand has put focus on appealing to a demographic that may have visited Build-A-Bear as a child and is now returning.

In 2022, the United States had more than 3.6 million babies born. In the last decade, north of 40 million babies were born in America. With roughly 18% of people under 15 years of age, and many adults loving a stuffed animal every now and then, Build-A-Bear remains in a good position despite retail challenges.

Love my manager, love my coworkers, and love having the chance to make the day of people of all ages. Not the best pay and don't get a lot of hours (I'm part time along with my other Bear Builder coworkers, so it's understandable) but every shift is so much fun! I use this as my “fun job” and I don't regret it at all!!

It's true that our furry friends appeal to kids of all ages. But please note that our stuffed animals are appropriate for kids ages 2 and up. Our clothing and accessories are appropriate for children ages 3 and up.

Guests who visit a Build-A-Bear Workshop® store enter a recognizable and distinctive teddy bear themed environment consisting of eight stuffed animal-making stations: Choose Me, Hear Me, Stuff Me, Stitch Me, Fluff Me, Dress Me, Name Me and Take Me Home®.