Bearing NYC in mind
By Tina Benitez -- Gifts and Dec, 7/11/2005 7:15:00 AM
NEW YORK CITY--“Even the Big City Has a Soft Spot,” read one sign in the new Build-A-Bear store, which opened here Friday. The new workshop, which is the largest bear store at 22,000 square feet, offers customers aNew York Cityfeel with all the traditional Build-A-Bear elements.
The workshop, located on46th Streetand5th Avenue, hasNew Yorkflair with I (heart) NY t-shirts, Libearty bears and a united nations of bears. In the Fur-eign friends section, shoppers can create a Korean, Danish or Spanish bear with traditional bear garb. Each stuffed animal comes with a passport that tells a story about the origin of the outfit.
In addition to the international, New York theme, sports are represented as well. Customers can choose from bear uniforms from the National Basketball Association, Major League Baseball, National Hockey League, college basketball, some fancy sports footwear and other sports accessories. Cheerleader outfits are also available for girly bears.
At the Licensing Show last month, Build-A-Bear founder and CEO Maxine Clark expressed her excitement about the new Big Apple store. “We’re ultimately creating a boutique destination,” she told playthings.com. “Build-A-Bear is always about freshness and creating a personal experience in the store.”
Other furry friends are not excluded in the new Build-A-Bear shop. An 18-inch Make-Your-Own Elmo, On the Go Pink Poodle, various World Wildlife Fund friends and a Batman Bearemy are some of the other bear friends in the store.
The bear experience in New York goes a little further with activities like T’s By Me, which lets customers design their own tee or add embroidery to a shirt. Schedule a party with Build-A-Party. Guests can even reserve a private area where they can make bears, decorate cupcakes and cookies and get a visit from Bearemy the bear.
This fall an Eat with Your Bear Hands café opens featuring utensil-free fun food.
“We’re making it more of a destination and good product,” Clark tells playthings.com. Fifth Avenue is the microcosm of the world for the residential consumer as well as the tourist consumer.”
The brand doesn’t stop in NYC. With more than 180 stores worldwide, Build-A-Bear will continue to expand this year with a lifestyle and apparel line due third and fourth quarters. A new footwear line, Heart and Sole, will be an exclusive for J.C. Penney and apparel and accessories for back-to-school will launch at Lord & Taylor.
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