Build-A-Bear Snapshot
The Build-A-Bear Workshop covers the "bear" necessities and much more. Located mainly in malls, the company's stores allow kids to design their own teddy bears and other stuffed animals complete with clothing (formal wear to western wear), shoes (including Skechers), and a barrage of accessories (eyewear, cell phones, and the like). Customers can build bears online, too. The chain offers an in-store Build-A-Party and an interactive online community, as well as online games and e-cards. Build-A-Bear, founded by CEO Maxine Clark in 1997, boasts about 345 stores in the US, Puerto Rico, Canada, the UK, and Ireland, and franchises others in Europe, Asia, Australia, and Africa.