Build-A-Bear Workshop Begins 20th Year With Gratitude, New 20th Birthday Celebration Bear And 'Parties On The 20th'

ST. LOUIS, Jan. 17, 2017 /PRNewswire/ -- Build-A-Bear Workshop, Inc. (NYSE:BBW), an interactive destination for creating personalized furry friends, is celebrating 20 years in 2017 and thanking fans across the globe. The company is also marking the milestone with a new, commemorative Make-Your-Own 20^th Birthday Celebration Bear and hosting monthly Parties on the 20th.

The 16-inch 20^th Birthday Celebration Bear was created as a tribute for this special year, features a Build-A-Bear Workshop^® 20^th birthday logo on its paw pad, and has posable arms and legs. Guests can make their own limited-edition bear at U.S., Canada and U.K. Build-A-Bear Workshop stores, or purchase the bear at buildabear.com for $25.50 (USD) / $27 (CAD) / £19.50 (GBP), plus applicable taxes.

In appreciation of two decades of furry-friend fun, Build-A-Bear Workshop invites fans to attend in-store Parties on the 20^th leading up to the company's official birthday on Oct. 27, 2017. The events will take place on the 20^th of each month at all U.S., U.K. and Canada stores and will feature special offers and excitement for all ages! Guests can visit buildabear.com/20th-birthday for more details and to find a nearby store.

"Since 1997, more than 150 million furry friends and countless memories have been made at Build-A-Bear Workshop," said Sharon Price John, president and chief executive officer, Build-A-Bear Workshop. "We are incredibly grateful to those who have shared cherished memories, meaningful moments and furry friend hugs with us over the last 20 years. Many of our Guests, who discovered Build-A-Bear Workshop as kids and teens, are now bringing their own children to our stores to experience the joy of making a new furry friend. Today, we invite Guests of all ages to join us in making our 20^th year the best one yet and to help us continue to 'add a little more heart to life' for years to come."

Build-A-Bear Workshop was founded in St. Louis on Oct. 27, 1997, as the first retail experience offering kids and kids at heart the opportunity to make and customize their own stuffed bears and animals. Today, the company operates more than 400 stores worldwide and offers a wide array of classic animals, popular characters and, of course, teddy bears. A photo gallery featuring furry friends through the years is available at buildabear.com/20th-birthday.

Guests can join in the 20^th birthday fun by:

• Attending Parties on the 20^th at local Build-A-Bear Workshop stores each month;
• Visiting buildabear.com/20th-birthday for complete details and to find a nearby location; and
• Sharing favorite Build-A-Bear Workshop memories on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram by tagging @BuildABear.

20^th birthday shopping bags, Cub Condo^® carrying cases and birth certificates will begin arriving at Build-A-Bear Workshop stores across the globe in the coming months.

About Build-A-Bear
Celebrating 20 years of business in 2017, Build-A-Bear is a global brand kids love and parents trust that 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 eighth year in a row in 2016. Build-A-Bear Workshop, Inc. (NYSE:BBW) posted a total revenue of $377.7 million in fiscal 2015. For more information, visit buildabear.com.

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SOURCE Build-A-Bear Workshop, Inc.