Build-a-Bear Workshops offer a place for customers to create their own stuffed animal toy in an interactive retail environment. Choices range from toy bears, dogs, cats, bunnies and other characters that then can be personalized with sounds or voices and clothing. The furry friends are created with the customer's help; stuffed and stitched and given a heart, within a few minutes in the store.http://www.buildabear.com/

Over 400 US and worldwide stores exist, primarily in mall venues. Consumers can also order online at the company's official web site.

• 1996: Maxine Clark leaves her position at Payless ShoeSource to start her own business.
• 1997: The first Build-A-Bear Workshop opens in the St. Louis Galleria, St. Louis, MO. In under four months sales reach almost $400,000.
• 1999: The shop's retail concept attracts investors; Build-A-Bear opens ten new stores.
• 2001: Build-a-Bear receives The National Retail Federation award for being the Retail Innovator of the Year.
• 2002: Build-A-Bear Workshop celebrates the 100th anniversary of the teddy bear as it opens the doors of it's 100th store.
• 2003: International expansion and franchising begins with stores in Canada and England.

Build-a-Bear Workshops have partnered with a number of charitable foundations to help further environmental and educational causes. The company donates portions of store proceeds to the following organizations:http://www.buildabear.com/aboutus/ourcompany/partners.aspx

• Build a Bear Workshop Foundation
• World Wildlife Fund
• US and Canadian Animal Shelters
• "First Book"

Customers creating an animal at a Build a Bear Workshop follow a creative process from start to finish that includes selecting the character and providing all the details that will go into making it their very own fluffy friend.

The stations within the store were this creative process takes place include:http://www.buildabear.com/babw/us/pages/aboutus/ourcompany/factsheet.pdf

1. Choose Me: Where customers select a character animal
2. Hear Me: Customers can decide to incorporate a sound or pre-recorded voice or even record their own voice or voice of a family member or friend into their animal
3. Stuff Me: Animals are carefully stuffed and given a tiny heart
4. Stitch Me: The final step is the finishing stitching, where a unique barcode is gently placed inside the animal to give it it's own ID and birthdate information
5. Fluff Me: Customer performs a brush and one last primp before the animal is ready to be presented to the world
6. Dress Me: If customers wish to choose items to dress their animal they can select among a variety of outfits, shoes and accessories
7. Name Me: Here customers (also called guests) select a name for their animal and enter the information into a computer which also puts them in the Find a Bear ID program that creates the animal's birth certificate
8. Take Me Home: Customers and their animal receive a carry box called a "Cub Condo" to bring their new friend home