My name is Katie and I am the lucky girl who Maxine credits as the inspiration for Build-A-Bear Workshop®. This is a credit that Maxine generously bestowed upon me, though I feel it is equally correct to say that I was merely a young girl who was willing to share my definite point of view on teddy bears and other furry friends!
Just as Maxine says she derives much of her inspiration from me and other children, I have found much inspiration in watching Maxine and the entire Build-A-Bear Workshop crew for the past several years. I marvel at the sheer creativity and innovation behind the Build-A-Bear Workshop brand. Build-A-Bear Workshop has changed what it means to be a toy store. Never before has a store existed in which you experience the steps of creating a stuffed animal. Never before have you been able to dress up your bear in army fatigues, a St. Louis Cardinals uniform, or, in my bear’s case, a printed sundress and espadrilles! Maxine and her team have found a way to make Build-A-Bear Workshop continually new and relevant for all guests, and the new store concept is yet another shining example of this. The fact that Build-A-Bear Workshop has disrupted the toy industry and set the new standard for how children shop is quite inspiring to me. Maxine did the unthinkable – she was forming ideas for what kind of business she wanted to create and then started listening to the children (me, for one) in her target audience. Who better to get business advice from than someone for whom you’re designing a product? Fifteen years since the founding of Build-A-Bear Workshop, I’m beginning to understand why Maxine calls me her inspiration: because I helped her to articulate her business idea.
Now it is my turn to learn something about business. After graduating from college in 2008 and spending two years working in consulting, and another two years working in retail, I’ve decided to attend graduate school. Starting this fall, I’ll be enrolling in a two year Masters in Business Administration program at The Wharton School of University of Pennsylvania. My goal is to learn all I can about the basics of business but also remember to never lose my sense of imagination. Imagination, paired with hard work and determination, is a mix that worked for Maxine. Her example is a continual inspiration to me, reminding me to dream big as I navigate my own path in the business world.
October 26th, 2012 at 2:17 am
Hi first I want to say that me and my children love this shop!! Beautiful ideas for teddies. The only downside for me is the price. These are not aimed at families in low income brackets as many of us now r. Not necessarily the prices of the actual bears but the clothes. The clothes for the bears actually cost more than the price I pay for my children’s clothes!!! Please try and make them a bit cheaper, clothing ur new bear is as important as choosing and building ur bear but when u have 2, 3 children in a family we have to avoid this shop like the plague. Thank you.
October 29th, 2012 at 9:35 am
Hi Lynette,
Thank you for your feedback. We do our best to make sure our products are affordable and of the best quality possible for our Guests. We appreciate learning from you so we can continue to improve your Build-A-Bear Workshop experience for years to come! Thank you!
October 26th, 2012 at 7:10 am
That is a cool story thank you for sharing it
October 26th, 2012 at 8:04 am
Happy birthday
October 26th, 2012 at 8:27 am
Enjoy Wharton! And take Total Leadership in your second year … a fantastic course! =]
October 26th, 2012 at 10:14 am
That’s so cool! I love maxine clark! Infact, I have maxine shoes on my account! I have one question, is maxine clark an account? Like someone plays on it?
Thanks
aj2hip533552
October 29th, 2012 at 9:33 am
Hi Cynthia,
Maxine gets on Bearville to play whenever she can. As you can imagine, she is a beary busy bear in the real world, but she loves playing on Bearville.com and meeting new friends. She runs her own account, so if you ever see her be sure to say hello!
October 26th, 2012 at 10:44 am
cool!!!!!!!!!!
October 26th, 2012 at 11:23 am
Thank you Katie! My daughter Breanne has been inspired and encouraged by Maxine as well and it has been wonderful to watch her interests and natural abilities begin to develop. I so appreciate Maxine’s passion and sincerity.
October 26th, 2012 at 12:39 pm
When a Build-a-Bear Workshop open in my mall in Arizona in 1997 I made my very first two bears opening weekend and since then I have made over 100 bears if not a little more some were for gifts and most of them I made for myself.
October 26th, 2012 at 2:33 pm
What a wonderful story, my daughter Loves her Build A Bears
October 26th, 2012 at 4:31 pm
woooooo hoooooooo girlfriend
October 27th, 2012 at 12:17 am
I love Build a bear. I have two now!!!
October 27th, 2012 at 10:40 am
We enjoyed our birthday party at build a bear metro centre Gateshead near Newcastle paula the rabbit made it special thanks to all the staff
October 27th, 2012 at 5:51 pm
I’m glad you were there to start it all. Build-A-Bear has been a wonderful highlight of my life. Thank you <3
October 28th, 2012 at 8:58 am
I think that this was inspiring for and it makes me wanna go out and do it myself .Because i
like inspiring kids,people and adults.like every time I see people inspiring people it makes want to jump in the tv becuaser I wanna get a chance to speak but thats only in my dreams……But I still think that inspired me and makes me wanna start inspiring people more.
October 29th, 2012 at 9:31 am
Hi Shaymah,
You know, it doesn’t take a huge movement or a big grand event to inspire others. Simply sharing smiles or saying ‘Hello’ can brighten someone’s day and inspire them to pass along that smile to others.
Our Huggable Heroes are always telling other kids how little things can make a big difference. They have helped millions of people all over the world, but they had to start somewhere small, too. Hopefully this video will inspire you to start something small: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ffZ__eu_mdg.
Come back soon!
October 28th, 2012 at 10:55 am
My granddaughter started a family tradition. My granddaughter passed four years ago from cancer. When shopping on her make a wish she spent 300.00 at build a bear. Now every year for her memorial family and friends purchase a bear in her name and send it to children health care aflac clinic to be given to the patience. These bears are mailed from all over the country. Thanks build a bear for bringing that joy into my granddaughter life.
October 29th, 2012 at 9:24 am
Hi Beverly,
Your granddaughter sounds like she was a truly inspirational and giving person. How wonderful that you continue this tradition of spreading hugs and smiles to other kids who need it most!
Thanks for sharing your story!
October 29th, 2012 at 1:34 am
I really do Love build a bear. i have 28 bears now!! but please please please can you make the clothes cheaper.
many thanks.
Miss featherman
October 29th, 2012 at 9:22 am
Hi Nancy, Thanks for visiting our blog! We truly appreciate your feedback and look to our Guests for advice and suggestions on all aspects of the Build-A-Bear Workshop experience.
We will share this with our team. Come back and visit us soon!
October 30th, 2012 at 6:20 am
It is very inspiring to see a woman work for her MBA in a company that shares the same values that I do but with a focus on children. When I hear about stories like hers it gives me renewed hope in my own ambitions and to see my son as even more of an inspiration to work harder and climb higher in whatever company I’m in. Thank you Katie, for being an inspiration to many.
October 30th, 2012 at 9:10 am
[...] Octobear is our birthday month! – This year we turned 15. Find out how Build-A-Bear Workshop began and the girl who helped start it [...]
November 3rd, 2012 at 2:18 pm
Hey I was wondering if you could make things a bit cheaper because we recently adopted 3 kids and now we have 6 kids.Thanks in advance!!
November 13th, 2012 at 10:41 am
Hi,
Thank you for visiting our blog and thank you for your feedback about the cost of our products. We always do our best to work with suppliers and figure out creative ways of keeping the cost as low as possible for our Guests. We will pass along your feedback to our Team. Thank you!
November 3rd, 2012 at 5:25 pm
You are my inspiration for life and I’m only 10 when I sad mad I grad my teddy bear and if it wasn’t for you I don’t know what I would do so I thank uuuuuu
November 23rd, 2012 at 3:14 am
Hello,
we have 1 small kid (5) and then we a big girl (11) Now all i want to say is if you can please make it a bit cheaper. The clothes are more expensive then the clothes for my kids! My 11 year old still likes build a bear but she picks outfits which we cant afford and then i have to buy two because of my 5 year old. So please make cheaper
November 26th, 2012 at 8:31 am
Hello,
Thanks for visiting our blog! We appreciate your feedback about the cost of our products. We will pass along your feedback to our Team. Thank you!
December 4th, 2012 at 11:28 am
I would really appreciate if you would run specials online where there is AUTOMATIC FREE SHIPPING and you can then use a coupon code for a % or $ amount off. Recently I ordered two bears and two outfits for my daughter and they were all free shipping items, yet when I added my coupon code I got charged for shipping on free shipping items? That seems so backwards and just wrong. I emailed to get a refund and received no response. I’m so tired of not being able to combine free s/h and coupon codes for money or % off. If you can only get one it nearly cancels the deal. Thanks…
December 4th, 2012 at 1:38 pm
Thank you for your feedback, we will pass it on to our team. Please call us so we can more quickly assist you at 1-877-789-2327. Thank you!
December 28th, 2012 at 3:14 pm
Do you have Best of 2012 post in a few weeks?
December 31st, 2012 at 2:10 pm
Hi Laura,
Thanks for asking!
What posts do you think we should include in our Best Of?
December 31st, 2012 at 7:31 pm
I like 5 posts.
January 2nd, 2013 at 2:40 pm
Hi Laura,
Right now we are looking forward to our Twitter party tomorrow night. If you can share a list of the titles of the 5 posts you like that would be beary helpful! Thank you!