Build-A-Bear Stores Undergoing Changes

Build-A-Bear Workshop (Overland, Mo.) stores are undergoing strategic changes designed to counteract the effects of decreased mall traffic. According to the St. Louis Post-Dispatch, the store’s glass-fronted stuffing machines, which churn out the fluffy material used to fill the plush toys, are being moved closer to the store’s entrance for better visibility. The machines are also undergoing cosmetic changes to make them more eye-catching.

Ceo Sharon Price John says the company is also seeking to drive store traffic by pursuing additional licensing agreements that include more characters from popular television and movie franchises, such as “Frozen” (2013) and “Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles” (2014).

Build-A-Bear stores are also getting smaller, moving from a 3000-square-foot layout to 2200 to 2500 square feet. The new store design will debut in the second half of 2015. New venues for Build-A-Bear Workshops will include outlet malls, high-traffic tourist areas and in-store shops within larger department stores. New store signage will feature some of the licensed characters.

The company is also expanding franchise agreements internationally, most growing in Asian markets.