Build-A-Bear Adds a Technology Factor

The following is an excerpt from an article in:


The New York Times
Thursday, September 27, 2012

Build-A-Bear Adds a Technology Factor

By ELIZABETH OLSON

BUILD-A-BEAR WORKSHOP stores, a children’s destination for more than a decade, are moving beyond stuff, fluff, dress and accessory formulas to increase the interactive choices that children have when they create a favorite bear or other furry creature.

Now that digital gadgets are a much bigger part of children’s play, Build-A-Bear is opening new stores that aim to entertain digitally adept children with more interactive options to keep them coming back.

The company, which has sold nearly 110 million plush animals since it started in 1997, introduced its first revamped store this week, in St. Louis, and plans to open more such concept stores nationwide.

“We wanted it to be more of an experience,” said Maxine Clark, the founder and chief executive of Build-A-Bear, which has 296 stores in the United States, Canada and Puerto Rico, but has had losses in two of the last three years as the tight economy and electronic games have buffeted the toy market.

“Smartphones and tablets have changed the way children play, so we wanted the stores to stay fun and relevant,” she said.

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The bright yellow stores in shopping malls gained popularity as a hands-on space for children to choose a plush bear, bunny or other animal to make their own, dressing it and giving it a personality and name.

The retailer is introducing its new technology-enhanced stores with radio and digital ads, print ads in local newspapers and television commercials. It will broaden its branding efforts to five additional markets where new stores will open starting in October, then nationwide and internationally, where it has stores in Britain and Ireland as well as franchise stores in other countries.

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