Press Release
BUILD-A-BEAR WORKSHOP GETS ON BOARD WITH NBA ALL-STAR 2004
Build-A-Bear Workshop has partnered with the NBA on their Read to Achieve Caravan, Read to Achieve Reading Rally and the Read to Achieve Area at the NBA All-Star Jam Session.
MONDAY, February 9 - NBA Read to Achieve Reading Caravan - The Read
to Achieve Caravan will be filled with NBA legends, WNBA stars, NBA family members
and Read to Achieve All-Stars who will travel throughout Los Angeles to promote
the joy and importance of reading with visits to Miles Avenue Elementary School
in Huntington Park, Children's Hospital of Los Angeles and Foshay Elementary
in Los Angeles.
Build-A-Bear Workshop has provided 100 bears in Read to Achieve t-shirts for
Children's Hospital of Los Angeles. Build-A-Bear Workshop mascot, Bearemy, will
make in-classroom appearances throughout the Read to Achieve Reading Caravan
school stops. WNBA star Rebecca Lobo will also be in attendance.
FRIDAY, February 13 - Read to Achieve Reading Rally - More than 800 local school children will join NBA & WNBA players, legends and celebrities for a fun-filled educational experience that will celebrate the students' involvement in the Lakers and Clippers Read to Achieve programs. The Reading Rally will take place at NBA All-Star Jam Session at the Los Angeles Convention Center. Bearemy, will be introduced by hosts Bob Lanier and Chuck Nilosek; and will remain on hand to interact with the children.
WED., February 11 - MON., February 16 - Read to Achieve Area @ the NBA Jam Session - The NBA will host a Read to Achieve area at Jam Session. This area will feature a book fair and reading events featuring current and former NBA/WNBA players and celebrities. Bearemy will be on hand for a meet & greet and participate in a reading session. Build-A-Bear Workshop will be giving out free valentines and also have a booth in the area where Guests can enjoy the Build-A-Bear experience by making a Marvelous Monkey, Read Teddy, Shaggy Teddy, Floppy Bear or Bearemy in their own little NBA or WNBA uniform. Every animal will come with a special NBA/WNBA-themed birth certificate.
In September 2003, Build-A-Bear Workshop® launched a line of new bear-size apparel in partnership with the NBA and WNBA. The assortment includes team-identified tee-shirts ranging in price from $6 - $10. NBA and WNBA team jerseys from select markets complete the line of exciting sports bear apparel. The new merchandise is designed with authentic NBA and WNBA detail and the bear-size uniforms are made of pro-style mesh including genuine logos and patches. Each uniform is sold with an official bear size Spalding basketball identical to the original.
About Build-A-Bear Workshop
Build-A-Bear Workshop® is an interactive, entertainment mall-based retailer
that invites Guests of all ages to create their own customized stuffed animals.
The company continues to redefine the concept of mall-based entertainment retail
and in doing so, has been recognized by the retail industry with numerous awards
including: National Retail Federation's International 2001 Retail Innovator
of the Year and ZD Net Interactive's 2001 Best Places to Work. Build-A-Bear
Workshop currently operates over 150 stores in 36 states, including four locations
across Canada. Build-A-Bear Workshop recently opened its first international
store in Sheffield, England. Build-A-Bear Workshop is the innovator and leader
of the make-your-own-stuffed animal concept for mall-based retailing. The premier
store opened in Saint Louis Galleria, St. Louis, Missouri, in October 1997.
For more information, call (888) 560-BEAR or visit the company's award-winning
Web site at www.buildabear.com.
About the NBA
The NBA is one of the most popular sports and entertainment properties in the
licensing world with NBA league and team products in stores across the globe,
on the NBA Store on NBA.com, the NBA Store on Fifth Avenue in New York City,
and NBA City in Orlando. Sales of NBA merchandise have increased 51% this year
versus last with NBA products like jerseys, retro jerseys, and caps becoming
staples in the wardrobe of trendsetting teens and adults across the country.
For more information on the NBA, visit WWW.NBA.COM.
About Read to Achieve
Read to Achieve is a year-round program designed to help young people develop
a life-long love for reading and encourage adults to read regularly to children.
Reaching an estimated 50 million children a year, Read to Achieve is the most
extensive educational outreach initiative in the history of professional sports.
Efforts include the annual donation of more than 300,000 books through a variety
of reading events and incentive programs, as well as the development of essay
contests and on-line programs. In an effort to provide a greater access to books
and technology the NBA and it's teams along with national partners such as RIF
and Dell have created more than 68 Reading and Learning Centers and 91 Reading
Corners throughout North America. In addition to being supported by all 30 NBA
teams, 14 WNBA teams, the six teams that make up the NBA's minor league, the
National Basketball Development League (NBDL), Read to Achieve is supported
by the NBA's officials, parents and wives of players organizations, and the
NBA Players Association and Retired Players Association.
Contacts:
Jill Saunders, Build-A-Bear Workshop, 314-423-8000 Ext.5293, JILLS@BUILDABEAR.COM
Shawn Bertani, Build-A-Bear Workshop, 314-423-8000 Ext. 5366, SHAWNB@BUILDABEAR.COM
Tara Gutkowski, NBA, 212-407-8595, TGUTKOWSKI@NBA.COM