Build-A-Bear Workshop

The ladies here were helpful making my niece’s Smurfette come to life. The whole experience is fun for the little ones and there are a million options of characters, clothes and accessories –almost too much to choose from.
You can just buy the shell and come back and get it filled and personalized like we did. Don’t forget to get your birth certificate before you leave. :)

Great experience with my daughter. She wanted a bear that had my voice for when I’m not around or can’t call me. Reed walked us through the entire process and did an excellent job. Good with the kids and explained everything to me. Had everything we needed and my daughter loves her toy.

Reed hooked us with a great bear for my daughter’s 3^rd birthday. He was awesome with customers and has a ton of positive energy; I hope the store management knows what an asset he is.
I expected this place to be some chaotic chamber of hell, but it was a smooth experience and the items cost less than I anticipated. I would consider coming back for a Christmas gift.

We typically have a positive experience at this Build-​a-​Bear. I don’t even want to know how much money I’ve dropped here in total. Three kids and each of them has enjoyed their custom bears. Yesterday’s visit was in honor of my little one’s birthday which means splurging on clothes as well. Mom actually made one as well so we landed with a final total over $ 100 for three bears, two outfits (no shoes) and a hat. Good grief! Two of the three folks working yesterday were awesome. The young man who engaged the kiddos and stuffed the bears was great. I don’t really appreciate the attempt to upsell children (beating hearts, sounds, scents) so I quickly jump in with no so my kids aren’t in the awkward situation. Stop that B-​A-​B! It negatively impacts the positive experience. Otherwise, appreciate the variety of items and the friendly team members.

Custom Stuffies = Kid Magnet
It’s always interesting to walk by Build-​a-​Bear and watch people with kids (and some younger adults) tilt towards the store like it was a gravity well. Cute stuffed animals will do that, I guess.
With two little girls, BBW is a common destination for us. We may have more bears that my daughters can remember names, but no way does that mean less is more! Nor the higher prices once all the gear kids want to buy is factored in. It’s something of a right of passage at this point.
On the cool side, BBW has some cool special issue bears throughout the year that keep things fresh; the store is relatively clean, and the stuffing process makes the bears more special that ones off a shelf. The staff here was hit and miss– some are almost saccharine while others are genuinely pleasant.
We’ll be back. (My daughter told me so. lol)

Not happy with this place at all. I wanted the toothless how to train your dragon doll for my sons birthday. I called a week before it came out to reserve one. So I bought one. The day it came out I took my son to go pick it up. They sold it to someone else cause they «misplaced» my reservation. So they put me on ANOTHER wait list and told me the shipment would be here in 5 days and they will call me and email me when the order comes in. I waited 7 days. Still no call or email. So I called and the woman was RUDE and short with me saying everyone is calling about the doll. I understand that but the fact that I PRE-​ORDERED it and YOU sold an already bought item is ridiculous. I am a single parent and don’t make a lot of money so when I want to do something special for my son it is a big deal to me. Thanks build a bear for ruining his ONLY birthday gift then being rude on top of it.

It’s nice to have kids build a bear. Unique and kids seem to love it. Expensive! We are going to do it one more time for our kid, that’s it!

I like build a bear. My daughter loves build a bear. Yes, it’s pricey. Yes, the quick process detracts from the experience. But my daughter thinks it’s fantastically amazing to chose an animal, see it go from a shell to a new lovey, then choose a name, groom, etc.
Might not be MY idea of a great time but the kids love it.
Employees are always friendly and engaging with the kids. Patient too!
I love buying gift certificates here for Christmas gifts and birthdays.

4 stars for the young bear stuffer guy rockin the converse shoes, he tried his best to keep my birthday girl’s attention. She just turned 2 (if you read my reviews she is the one that might be autistic or has adhd and is wild nutz) and she was just all over the place.
Now, this is where I have to take off a star… at the check out… my daughter had a build a bear purse that she stuffed with hearts (both the purse and hearts were BAB, I was not buying them). I quickly snatched it without her looking and put it behind my me and on top of a shelf… obviously so my daughter would not see it and scream. Well Mr. Lazy from behind the counter (not my cashier) starts yelling MAAAAM give it to me and I will put it away… HERE GIVE THAT TO ME AND I WILL PUT IT BAAAAAACK. My daughter started wondering what he was yelling about and she was looking around.
The guy was ridiculous, my husband was paying and he even turned around to see what the guy was yelling at.
2x I replied to him that I didn’t want her to see it and then I just walked away.
That jackass should know if a mother tries to hide something away from a child that he should not create a scene. All he had to do was put it back after we left.

This store makes me crazy. OK, call me a grinch — What beef could I possibly have with a place where happy kiddies and can make their own cute little stuffed animal friend?
Well, since you asked: the throngs of people stuffed into a space the size of a bathroom stall. The rampant consumerism and ridiculously high prices. The fact that the entire «build» concept takes about 30 seconds of a machine blowing stuffing into a pre-​fabbed bear body. The rest (chooing the outfits, accessories, etc.) can be done with just anout ANY stuffed animal or doll. And then there’s all of those kids screaming. I don’t DO screaming. The 2 stars are for those poor friendly folks doomed to working here.
I start twitching just walking by the place. Baiscally, for me, build a bear equals hell on earth.
Still, LOTS of people LOVE Build-​a-​Bear. Your mileage may vary. But just don’t say I didn’t warn you.