National Teddy Bear Day Survey Finds More Than Half of Adult Americans Still Have Their Teddy Bear From Childhood

ST. LOUIS, Sept. 5, 2017 /PRNewswire/ -- In anticipation of National Teddy Bear Day on September 9, Build-A-Bear Workshop, Inc. (NYSE: BBW), an interactive destination for creating customized furry friends, today announced results from a survey that revealed more than half of American adults still have their favorite stuffed animal from childhood. The survey of 2,000 adults, completed by Atomik Research and commissioned by Build-A-Bear, uncovered a number of surprising furry-friend findings, including:

• The Majority Hugs. Across generations, more than half of all respondents surveyed mentioned they still own a stuffed animal. 40% of respondents sleep with their stuffed animal by their side.
• Keepsake Teddy. 56% of respondents have owned (and held onto) their favorite stuffed animal for more than two decades. Additionally, more than 70% said they plan to keep their stuffed animal forever (72%).
• Memories of Comfort. 30% of respondents said a feeling of comfort was the first memory that came to mind when thinking about a childhood stuffed animal, followed by the memory of the person who gave it to them (22%), and the stuffed animal's appearance (19%).
• Home is Where the Bear Is. Adults living in the southern United States are most likely to have a stuffed animal (75%), followed by residents of the Midwest (72%) and Northeast (70%).

Build-A-Bear shared the survey results with clinical psychologist and New York Timesbestselling author Dr. Shefali Tsabary to learn more about the bond many adults have with items like teddy bears.

"As children develop independence from their parents, they still yearn for a secure bond with something. In many cases, children turned to stuffed animals, including teddy bears, to help them through this transition," said Dr. Shefali Tsabary. "As we enter adulthood and leave home for the first time, it's no surprise that the same object re-enters our life, providing comfort while also helping us work through feelings of uncertainty as we transition into a new life stage."

Build-A-Bear Workshop welcomes Guests of all ages to the company's interactive stores each day, including a surprising number of adults.

"At Build-A-Bear, we believe wholeheartedly that you're never too old for a teddy bear, and we love that more than 25 percent of Build-A-Bear shoppers are 12 and older," said Sharon Price John, president and CEO, Build-A-Bear Workshop. "It's also fun to see older Guests incorporating teddy bears and other furry friends into the celebration of everyday and extraordinary moments in life – from birthdays and engagements to prom-posals. This National Teddy Bear Day, we hope the results of this survey and our exciting in-store and online offers empower people of all ages to go get that favorite teddy bear from childhood that's been hiding in the closet, or make a new furry friend to cherish for years to come."

On Friday, September 8, and Saturday, September 9, Guests of Build-A-Bear Workshop stores can make their own limited-edition National Teddy Bear Day Bear for just $5.50 (USD) / $5.50  (CAD) / £5.50 (GBP), plus applicable taxes, while supplies last. (Purchase limit of five limited-edition bears per Guest.) Build-A-Bear Workshop will also offer Traditional Cocoa Bear online for $10.50 (USD) / £10.50 (GBP) at buildabear.com and buildabear.co.uk.

In honor of National Teddy Bear Day and the brand's 20^th birthday, which will be officially celebrated in October, Build-A-Bear Foundation is donating 20,000 furry friends to Boys & Girls Clubs of America. The Foundation will also donate 1,000 furry friends to Boys & Girls Clubs of Canada, as well as 6,000 furry friends to Childhood First and other children's charities in the United Kingdom. Throughout the National Teddy Bear Day celebration on Sept. 8 and 9, Guests of U.S. Build-A-Bear Workshop stores can also donate to Boys & Girls Clubs of America at checkout.

Throughout the week leading up to National Teddy Bear Day, fans can:

• Visit buildabear.com/national-teddy-bear-day/ to learn more about the in-store event and find a nearby Build-A-Bear Workshop location.
• Join the fun virtually! Build-A-Bear will bring the celebration to Facebook by streaming live on National Teddy Bear Day.
• Follow the brand on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram, and share a favorite teddy bear or Build-A-Bear Workshop memory with hashtag #NationalTeddyBearDay and @BuildABear.

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 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 Build-A-Bear National Teddy Bear Day Survey
The Build-A-Bear survey was conducted by Atomik Research on a sample of 2,004 consumers in the United States who have/had a stuffed animal and in accordance with MRA guidelines and regulations. The online survey was fielded between August 1 and 3, 2017. (Of the 2,004 survey participants, 500 respondents were parents with children, aged 5-10 years old). Atomik Research is an independent creative market research agency that employs MRA-certified researchers and abides to MRA code.

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SOURCE Build-A-Bear Workshop, Inc.