Build-A-Bear Workshop Announces New Licensed Partnership With Nintendo And Unveils Make-Your-Own Super Mario Furry Friends And Accessories

ST. LOUIS, Dec. 13, 2017 /PRNewswire/ -- Build-A-Bear Workshop, Inc. (NYSE: BBW), an interactive destination where Guests can create personalized furry friends, today announced a new licensed partnership with Nintendo, unveiling three new Make-Your-Own Super Mario furry friends—plus, a pre-stuffed Toad, sound chips and accessories. This is the first time Super Mario products have been offered at Build-A-Bear Workshop.

Starting today, one of the most beloved Nintendo characters, a few of his friends—and a foe, of course—are joining the fun at buildabear.com (U.S.) and buildabear.co.uk (U.K.).

Full-sized, Make-Your-Own Friends

• Meet Mario Bear: With his sewn-on overalls, iconic mustache and a Super Mario logo on his paw pad, 16-inch Mario Bear is ready to jump into his next adventure. A Super Mario Bros. Theme Song sound chip is also available.
• Beware of Bowser: The troublemaking King of the Koopas is ferociously fun when downsized to furry friend form. With his awesome back shell and a cool Super Mario graphic on the paw pad, 15-inch Bowser is an epic addition to your collection, especially when you add his 5-in-1 Sounds.
• It's Mario's closest buddy! Kind-hearted and easygoing, Yoshi is always ready for adventure! Now you can add Mario's comrade to your collection.

Pre-Stuffed Plush and Accessories
Complete your Super Mario team with costumes, wrist accessories and sound chips for your own real-life Mushroom Kingdom!

• Toad: This cute and helpful Toad always has positive words of encouragement for Mario. This pre-stuffed furry friend features Toad's signature red and white polka dots, blue vest and white pants. Protect the Mushroom Kingdom and add Toad to your collection!
• Super Mario Wrist Accessory Set (3 pack): Power up your furry friend's accessories by adding this awesome three-piece set to your collection! This plush wrist accessory set comes with a Yoshi egg, a Super Star and a Super Mushroom.
• Red Super Mario Hoodie: Jump into fun with this adorable red hoodie! With a fun Mario and Yoshi graphic on the front, this warm hoodie for your furry friend will delight Super Mario fans of all ages.
• Luigi Costume: Okie dokie! Dress your furry friend just like Luigi, with his signature green hat and blue overalls. 
• Princess Peach Costume: Our princess might be in another castle, but your furry friend will be positively peachy in your arms when dressed in this two-piece Princess Peach costume!
• Super Mario Bros. Theme Song: Power up your all-star team and head to the castle by adding the Super Mario Bros. Theme Song to your furry friend! This iconic theme will play anytime you give your furry friend a hug!
• Bowser 5-in-1 Sounds: Bwahahaha! Your Bowser furry friend will be the ultimate boss when you add his signature 5-in-1 sounds!

"Super Mario is a classic game franchise many of our Guests know and love, and we've had a lot of fun bringing these characters into furry friend form," said Jennifer Kretchmar, chief product officer, Build-A-Bear Workshop. "Like Build-A-Bear, Nintendo's characters appeal to everyone, so we couldn't wait to team up for the first time and offer another way for Guests to enjoy the timeless brand."

The complete Build-A-Bear Workshop Nintendo collection is available online now at buildabear.com and buildabear.co.uk. Mario Bear, Yoshi, Bowser (select stores only) and all outfits and accessories will begin rolling out in U.S., U.K. and Canada stores this weekend.

"Bringing beloved characters like Mario, Yoshi and Bowser to Build-A-Bear aligns our shared goal of engaging kids and families in fun and new ways," said Tom Prata, Nintendo of America's Senior Vice President of Strategic Initiatives. "Now, even the youngest member of the family can interact with Nintendo by creating their own powered-up furry friend."

For more information about Build-A-Bear, visit buildabear.com, and follow the brand on Facebook, Twitter, YouTube and Instagram.

About Build-A-Bear
Founded in St. Louis in 1997, Build-A-Bear, a global brand kids love and parents trust, seeks to add a little more heart to life. Build-A-Bear Workshop has approximately 400 stores worldwide where Guests can create customizable furry friends, including company-owned stores in the United States, Canada, Denmark, Ireland, Puerto Rico, the United Kingdom and China, and franchise stores in Africa, Asia, Australia, Europe, Mexico and the Middle East. The company was named to the FORTUNE 100 Best Companies to Work For^® list for the ninth year in a row in 2017. Build-A-Bear Workshop, Inc. (NYSE: BBW) posted a total revenue of $364.2 million in fiscal 2016. For more information, visit buildabear.com.

About Nintendo 
The worldwide pioneer in the creation of interactive entertainment, Nintendo Co., Ltd., of Kyoto, Japan, manufactures and markets hardware and software for its Nintendo Switch^™ system and the Nintendo 3DS^™ family of portable systems. Since 1983, when it launched the Nintendo Entertainment System^™, Nintendo has sold more than 4.5 billion video games and more than 710 million hardware units globally, including Nintendo Switch and the Nintendo 3DS family of systems, as well as the Game Boy^™, Game Boy Advance, Nintendo DS^™ family of systems, Super NES^™, Nintendo 64^™, Nintendo GameCube^™, Wii^™ and Wii U^™ systems. It has also created industry icons that have become well-known, household names, such as Mario, Donkey Kong, Metroid, Zelda and Pokémon. A wholly owned subsidiary, Nintendo of America Inc., based in Redmond, Wash., serves as headquarters for Nintendo's operations in the Americas. For more information about Nintendo, please visit the company's website at http://www.nintendo.com.

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SOURCE Build-A-Bear Workshop