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!
Tag Archives: story
Meet Brandon , Father of 6
Brandon has been a bear for nearly 13 years, and he is also a father to 6 boys ranging in age from 5 – 17 years old! His kids help him keep Build-A-Bear Workshop the MOST fun place! When Brandon came to World Bearquarters, he worked on getting new stores up and running. He was an important part of the IT team and eventually began working more with our online and interactive projects, like Bearville.com™. You better believe his boys have helped him test games to make sure we offer pawsome stuff for kids of all ages!
Brandon’s crew has also helped test the Build-A-Bear App. With a Dad in IT, his kids love all things techie. He became a bear when his oldest son was just 4 years old and it’s hard for his family to imagine life without BABW! It’s normal for his sons to hang out with him in the engineering lab at BQ or to help him cut foam board to make mock fixtures. They love trying out new gadgets and gizmos for us! Recently, Brandon’s kids have helped with our new digital sound station for Hear Me. The digital sound station has a touchscreen that allows Guests to choose from tons of songs and sounds, including ones that have been approved by Brandon’s boys. At Build-A-Bear Workshop, we love to hear from real kids. They help us to evolve and remain innovative.
Besides helping their dad, ALL of his kids have celebrated at least one birthday with a Build-A-Party!
Brandon E., Director Virtual World & Interactive Opbearations
Jonah, 17; Ethan, 13; Isaac, 12; Carson, 10; Kyle, 7; and Caleb, 5.
Purple Day is March 26: Epilepsy awareness day founded by our 2011 Huggable Hero
Q& A with Cassidy Megan M., 12, Halifax, NS – 2011 Huggable Hero
Four years ago, Cassidy Megan founded Purple Day for Epilepsy to promote epilepsy awareness. Purple day has partnered with the Epilepsy Association of Nova Scotia and the Anita Kaufmann Foundation in the USA. Purple Day is now recognized internationally with supporters in Spain, Iran, Australia, Madrid, England, Africa, Cyprus and other countries worldwide.
What inspired you to start Purple Day for Epilepsy?
When I found out I had epilepsy I thought I was the only kid with it. After the Epilepsy Association of Nova Scotia came and did a presentation and I saw that my friends were really interested, I decided to tell them I had it. During the presentation I found out that lavender can represent feeling alone which is how I felt. The next year I started Purple Day because I wanted other people with epilepsy to know that they were not alone.
Purple Day is coming up. What are your plans for March 26, 2012?
I want to make it even bigger and better than last year. I am working with our partners and ambassadors all over the world to get more people involved and spread the word.
What is your mission for Purple Day?
My dream is that one day everyone will know about Purple Day and epilepsy and no one will feel alone.
You’ve accomplished so much. What are you going to do next?
I’m going to keep working on Purple Day and keep helping people be aware of epilepsy. I also want to keep letting people with epilepsy know that they can do anything they want and to never give up.
What advice do you have for kids who want to make a difference in the world?
Keep believing that you can do it, when things seem hard to change it’s important to keep working hard. Every little bit counts, never give up and always follow your dreams, you can do it!
A Company With Heart
We’re a company with heart. That’s what we always say. But what does that mean? Does it mean we care about giving back? Does it mean we love our jobs? Does it mean we have lots of love to give? The answer is yes to all of those, but it also means something more, something that really speaks to the root of our company and what is important to us.
You know those little satin and plaid hearts you put in your furry friends? We’ve had those forever. Even though they looked a little different, they were still part of the process from the very beginning. But we never realized the power of the hearts until a few weeks after opening our first store at the St. Louis Galleria. The store had been beary busy from the start. A phone call came in at the end of the day, right before the weekend. “We’re running out of hearts.” The manager on the line said they had become so popular that they probably wouldn’t have enough to last the weekend.
Making a wish.
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Subscribe to this blog!- SpongeBob SquarePants Exclusive Interview! 14 MayIt’s SpongeBob time! The wait is over! We got tons of fabulous questions for SpongeBob SquarePants and we’re thrilled to share the answers to some of them below. And starting May 17, you can make your own SpongeBob at a Build-A-Bear Workshop store near you or order online. Thanks so much! Enjoy! Question #1: How […]
- Meet Debby and Sarah 2 MayAt Build-A-Bear Workshop, we know families are beary important! Debby and her daughter, Sarah, both work at World Bearquarters in St. Louis. Debby has been a bear for 12 years. When Sarah was younger, she came to work with her mom to help out. Sarah had lots of fun working with her mom and enjoyed […]
- Teacher Appreciation Day printable ‘Thank you’ cards 26 AprDo you remember your favorite teacher? Why did you love them so much? Maybe you are really lucky and you have more than one favorite. I have one favorite teacher. I first met her as my 4th grade teacher, when half of my class was in 4th grade and the other half was in 5th […]
- 3 Ways to Play with your MY LITTLE PONY friends! 1 AprWe all know friends are pawsome. They make us feel good. They make us laugh. They bring out the best in us and, perhaps most importantly, they are always there for us. This is why we’re beary excited to bring you brand new furry friends from MY LITTLE PONY, RAINBOW DASH and PINKIE PIE! (Available […]
- How to make a decoupage egg 6 Marby Molly Saunders, Digital (Crafty) Bear Since I was little, I’ve been making and decorating blown out eggs for Easter. Because these are such a beautiful keepsake, I wanted to share the simple how-to’s with you. Then, you and your family can start a tradition or just be the coolest chick on the block with […]
- SpongeBob SquarePants Exclusive Interview! 14 May
