Build-A-Bear Workshop - Why They're Successful

This video attempts to explain the success of Build-A-Bear Workshop while taking a look at the some of their lesser known controversies of the past.

To submit ideas and vote on future topics:

A very special thanks to this wonderful group of Patrons:
Amy Westacott, Angus Clydesdale, Brett Walton, Castor Poe, Chris Lion-Transler, Christian & Penny Gray, Dominique Dugas, Dustin Van Horn, Emerald Computers – Jason Dragon, Emily Findley, Fortunate Calf, Garrick Kwan, Jimmy1985, Julianne Beach, Logan Hunter, Marshall Kurtz, Meow Wolf, Michelle Chisholm, Mike Weaver, MyNameIsKir, Nicholas Murphy, Peter Wesselius, R, Sam Bennett, Sirpoptart, Sondre Grimsmo Sinnes, Stewart Tritapoe, Super Duper Paratrooper, Taylor LaBrier, Theodore cooke, Tristan Williams, Vincent Frame.

Company Declines:
______________________________

[dubstepphene]

My daughter loves this place. My wallet doesn't though

[ToolGT]

I call my wife and tell her it's $5 build-a-bear day. She takes our daughter and comes back with two bears and $50 in clothes and accessories. -_-

[hbmento]

the Build-a-bear experience in the 2000s was amazing. You chose your bear, stuffed it up, gave it clothes(optional), named it, and then when you got home you got to explore a virtual world with it . They did not need to do that much, but they did.

[elainetracy]

I feel like every time I went to build a bear as a child my parents left pissed off lol

[ThatLoudCockatoo]

"They even have adults come in"

My Build a Besr Toothless is literally two feet away from me while I remote in for work.

[peggyjones]

When my husband deployed, build a bear donated bears the parents could make, complete with an army uniform, scents and a recording from the parent. It was amazing. My kids could listen to Daddy singing to them before bed.

[MrGemHunter]

"and Advisory board of children" is one of the strangest yet most adorable ideas I've heard of in a long time

[Kirky]

When I was in the Marine Corps getting back from my first deployment (2008, I was 21 years old), a group of buddies and I went to the Devil Dog Mall (Oceanside, CA). When I saw the Build-A-Bear Workshop, I looked at all my buddies (all also Marines) and said "FUCK YA, I"M GOING TO MAKE ME A BEAR". I didn't care if they thought that I was being childish, dumb, or plain (to be more non-harsh here) R-wordED, I was going to build a bear. I went in and built a bear because of my sister. When I graduated boot camp, she gave me a Build-A-Bear that was dressed up as a Marine, she has given me a few presents that have meant more to me than anything else in the world, and this was 2nd on the list. I wasn't making the bear for anyone in particular (I don't even remember where it ended up), but I had to make a fool of myself and build one. It was absolutely a blast, I picked the basic bear, got it stuffed, gave it a squeeze to make sure it was filled enough, and then the lady said "Here, make a wish on this heart, give it a kiss, and put it in the bear." Without hesitation, I made a wish on that heart, gave it a kiss, and put it in the bear. I didn't buy any extra stuff for the bear, but when I walked out of the store and all the guys were just giving me a mix look of "really" and "WTF" expressions, I didn't care. That's how powerful Build-A-Bear Workshop can be.

[BugsyFoga]

The history of Build a bear is Cheerfully depressing

[christophersalinas]

“and even some adults come and make their own bears”
And 8 year old me thought I was gonna get bullied for having a build a bear lmao

[untilnow]

I honestly don’t understand how people can dislike a company man video. Honestly most unbiased and informative channel out there.

[StealthheartDraws]

You forgot about Bearville!! By buying a BuildaBear in the 2000s-2010s you could use a code provided on the certificate to play with your bear in the online interactive flash game - almost exactly like Webkinz. You could play for free, but there were a lot of things that could only be unlocked with a Build-a-Bear and when you brought it into the game, there was a whole scene where the bear comes out from behind the curtain and jumps into your backpack (everyone who was there in the game can see too). I used to love the songs they put in and the house decorating aspect.

[Paradigmical]

I took my daughter to one for her birthday last month, and the store was in rough shape. But it was my daughter's first birthday, so I could get a birthday bear for $1

[cirruscloud]

We could never afford it when I was a kid, and I went once as an adult. I was a little afraid the staff would be weird but they were really welcoming, and didn't insist I do all the steps since I was twenty. It was a great experience

[jenithesinger]

Rip to all my bears in Build-a-Bearville

[KAY-fzuu]

okay please tell me I wasn’t the only kid embarrassed when they asked you to kiss the heart like I hated that part

[sarahh]

Anyone remember that iCarly had a parody store of Build-A-Bear called Build-A-Bra?

[solierafromtheultrareconsquad]

9:52 Fun fact, that step didn't use to be there, it WAS part of the Stuff Me step. It used to be the Fluff Me step, where you took your toy to a fake bath tub and used a brush and brushed it under a showerhead that blew down air. I'm not sure why they got rid of it, probably because it didn't have anything to do with the actual toy itself, and now every remodeled store no longer has it. There are some stores that aren't remodeled, so if they have that Fluff Me step, I'm gonna do it, I don't care how much lint gets injected into my toy's fur. It was an important part of my childhood, it just felt so much fun.

[michaelray]

My mom used to work for them. She made me a giant teddy bear when I was born. I've grown up of course, but I still have it.

[rbfloat]

So I work at a Build-a-bear and I agree with all of this but I think another big thing is that the people who work at BAB or want to work at BAB enjoy their work. All of us are massive kids. We recently got Stitch in and we spent a good five minutes freaking out over how adorable he is. And as for the fluff machine, little babies LOVE it. They'll stare at the bear on top, completely hypnotized.