Press Release

ST. LOUIS, MO, (June 14, 2004) - Build-A-Bear Workshop has joined the St. Louis Cardinals™ to celebrate teddy bears and baseball. The season-long partnership, which is in its first year, features various special events including a pre-game clinic, Guest sweepstakes, player appearances, and a special teddy bear giveaway on Build-A-Bear Workshop Day at Busch Stadium.

On June 20, Build-A-Bear Workshop will host a baseball clinic for 45 children from Juvenile Diabetes Research Foundation (JDRF). The clinic will be held prior to the 1:15 p.m. game between the St. Louis Cardinals™ and the Cincinnati Reds™. Representatives from JDRF will also be on hand for the on field, pre-game ceremony with Build-A-Bear Workshop.

In addition, fans attending the game will enjoy the annual St. Louis Cardinals™ Fathers/Kids Game. Prior to the start of the game, St. Louis Cardinals'™ players will take the field and play a "game" against their kids. St. Louis Cardinals'™ mascot, Fredbird, and the Build-A-Bear Workshop mascot, Bearemy, will be in attendance for all plays and tough calls.

On July 9, two Cardinals' players will be making appearances at Build-A-Bear Workshop stores in the St. Louis area. One will be signing autographs at the Build-A-Bear Workshop store at the Saint Louis Galleria and the other at Westfield Shoppingtown West County.

On August 7, Build-A-Bear Workshop day at the Ballpark, a Beary Limited EditionTM Fredbird stuffed animal will be given away to the first 12,000 children age twelve and under, with a paid admission, who attend the 12:20 p.m. game between the St. Louis CardinalsTM and the New York MetsTM. The collectible Fredbird is an 11" replica of the Cardinals' official mascot. Each stuffed animal will go home in its own uniquely designed Build-A-Bear Workshop, St. Louis CardinalsTM, and Grant's Farm® Cub Condo® carrying case.

As part of the baseball promotion, the Build-A-Bear Workshop stores at the Saint Louis Galleria, Westfield Shoppingtown West County, and St. Clair Square Mall are participating in a Guest sweepstakes. One winner from each store will win four tickets to the August 7 game and four Beary Limited Edition Fredbird stuffed animals. Guests can enter the sweepstakes until July 9 by visiting any of the three participating St. Louis area Build-A-Bear Workshop stores and completing an entry form.

Build-A-Bear Workshop Founder and Chief Executive Bear Maxine Clark commented, "We are thrilled to expand our partnership with the St. Louis Cardinals™, our hometown team. While we have worked with the Cardinals before to deliver teddy bears to children in hospitals, we are pleased to go one step further this year and provide even more kids with the hug of a stuffed animal. We are also honored to share the day with our friends from Juvenile Diabetes Research Foundation and look forward to providing kids with a great opportunity to meet and learn from Major League Baseball® players. The St. Louis Cardinals™ organization is a wonderful community partner and we are pleased to be working with them again."

In addition to the Cardinals, Build-A-Bear Workshop has partnerships with other Major League Baseball® teams including the New York Mets™, Chicago Cubs™ and Philadelphia Phillies™. In Philadelphia, Build-A-Bear Workshop opened a Make Your Own Phanatic™ store by Build-A-Bear Workshop at Citizens Bank Park™, the brand new home of the Philadelphia Phillies™.

This spring Build-A-Bear Workshop introduced a line of licensed Major League Baseball® product for bears. The bear-sized sports assortment, available at Build-A-Bear Workshop stores, includes officially licensed Club uniforms, tees and hats ranging in price from $5- $15.

Build-A-Bear Workshop stores and all merchandise for all 30 Clubs is available for sale at www.buildabear.com. The officially licensed merchandise is authentic down to the smallest detail, including Major League Baseball style jerseys, belted baseball pants, stirrup socks and official team logos on the uniforms.

In addition to being in stores, a Build-A-Bear Workshop store was created for the John Hancock All Star Fanfest® at the George R. Brown Convention Center in Houston, Texas. Baseball fans will be able to make their own personalized furry friend decked out in officially licensed Major League Baseball items at the store from July 9 -13.

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 through an exciting bear-making process. The company has over 150 locations in the USA with four stores in Canada. Build-A-Bear Workshop opened its first international store in Sheffield, England in the fall of 2003 and its first stores in Japan, Korea and Denmark in early 2004. The company is on track to open more stores in Europe and Asia this year making the retailer a global leader in the teddy bear business. The first store opened in the USA in 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 Juvenile Diabetes Research Foundation
Juvenile Diabetes Research Foundation (JDRF), the leading charitable funder and advocate of juvenile (type 1) diabetes research worldwide, was founded in 1970 by the parents of children with juvenile diabetes - a disease which strikes children suddenly, makes them insulin-dependent for life, and carries the constant threat of devastating complications. Since inception, JDRF has provided more than $680 million in direct funding to diabetes research. More than 80 percent of JDRF's expenditures directly support research and research-related education. JDRF's mission is constant: to find a cure for diabetes and its complications through the support of research.