Press Release

ST. LOUIS, MO, (June 14, 2004) - Build-A-Bear Workshop has joined the New York Mets™ to celebrate teddy bears and baseball. The partnership, which is in its second year, features various special events including player appearances, a pre-game clinic, Guest sweepstakes and a special teddy bear giveaway on Build-A-Bear Workshop day at Shea Stadium™.

On June 19, from 10:30 to 11:30 a.m. infielder Todd Zeile and pitcher Steve Trachsel will be making appearances at two Build-A-Bear Workshop stores in the New York area. Zeile will be signing autographs at the Build-A-Bear Workshop store at Paramus Park in Paramus, NJ and Trachsel will be signing autographs at The Westchester Mall location in White Plains, NY.

On July 25, Build-A-Bear Workshop day at the ballpark, Southpaw the Bear, made exclusively for the New York Mets™ will be given away to the first 12,000 children age twelve and under, with a paid admission. The collectible Beary Limited ™ edition Southpaw the Bear is a 14" teddy bear featuring an exclusive New York Mets™ baseball. In addition, each Southpaw the Bear will go home in its own uniquely designed Build-A-Bear Workshop, New York Mets™ Cub Condo® carrying case.

Before the game, Build-A-Bear Workshop will host a baseball clinic for 75 children from Juvenile Diabetes Research Foundation (JDRF). The clinic will be held prior to the 1:10 p.m. game. Representatives from JDRF will also be on hand for the on field, pre-game ceremony with Build-A-Bear Workshop.

As part of the baseball promotion, 12 Build-A-Bear Workshop stores in the New York metro area are participating in a Guest sweepstakes. One winner from each store will receive four tickets to the July 25th game and four Southpaw the Bear stuffed animals. Guests can enter the sweepstakes until June 19 at any New York area Build-A-Bear Workshop store.

Build-A-Bear Workshop Founder and Chief Executive Bear Maxine Clark commented, "The New York Mets™ organization is a wonderful community partner and we are pleased to be working with them again. Teddy bears are known for their hugs and we are happy that Southpaw the Bear will be giving and getting a lot of hugs on game day. We are also honored to share the day with our friends from Juvenile Diabetes Research Foundation and look forward to hosting the baseball clinic for kids to give them the chance to meet and learn from Major League Baseball® players."

In addition to the Mets, Build-A-Bear Workshop has partnerships with other Major League Baseball teams including the St. Louis Cardinals™, 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. Bear-sized club merchandise is available in select Build-A-Bear Workshop stores and 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 big league style jerseys, belted baseball pants, stirrup socks and official team logos on the uniforms.

In addition 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. It is the 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.