Press Release

ST. LOUIS, MO (June 3, 2004) - Build-A-Bear Workshop, Where Best Friends Are Made®, is opening a store at Vintage Faire on Friday, June 25th. After opening the premier store in St. Louis, MO with resounding success in 1997 and then in cities throughout the United States over the last seven years, Build-A-Bear Workshop is again bringing its unique entertainment retail concept to Modesto.

Build-A-Bear Workshop is based on the premise that nearly everyone, regardless of age, has a special fondness for stuffed animals. At Build-A-Bear Workshop, visitors, or Guests, create their own stuffed animals as they "choose, stuff, stitch, fluff, name and dress" their way through a series of bear-making stations. A variety of inventive bear merchandise is also available, including hundreds of coordinating outfits and accessories for all beary special occasions.

Hosted by Build-A-Bear Workshop, Stuffed with Hugs TM invites children of all ages to come to Build-A-Bear Workshop on Saturday, June 26 and make a bear for free. Two hundred bears will be donated to the USO to distribute to children of military families. By participating in Stuffed with Hugs, children can help other children in need. The hug of a Teddy Bear can bring a smile to any child who is facing difficult circumstances.

The purpose of Stuffed with Hugs TM is to give children a chance to help others according to Founder and Chief Executive Bear Maxine Clark, "Build-A-Bear Workshop is a store for, and about, kids and Stuffed with Hugs has allowed kids to put smiles on the faces of tens of thousands of other children. It is a simple, yet significant way for kids to help other kids and make a difference."

On May 15, 2004 children across the United States and Canada made over 40,000 teddy bears that were donated to children of military families through the USO and in Canada to children through Easter Seals. In addition, each time a new Build-A-Bear Workshop store opens, a Stuffed with Hugs event is held to benefit the community. Stuffed with Hugs began in 2001 and since then Build-A-Bear Workshop has donated over 125,000 bears to worthy causes.

With an existing store location in the mall at Arden Fair, Clark is looking forward to opening the second store in the area. She notes, "Our plan is always to open in the premier malls across the country, and we will continue this approach as we open at Vintage Faire. We have had many Guests who have visited our Sacramento area location ask us when we will be opening in their community. Now, we will be able to reach even more of our friends and we are thrilled to be here."

Build-A-Bear Workshop continues its aggressive expansion plan nationally by opening in new markets this year, including Wichita, KS, Little Rock, AR, Des Moines, IA, Honolulu, HI, Greenville, SC, Youngstown, OH, Springfield, MA, and Boise ID - as well as internationally. The company has been planning its global strategy for the past several years, and has opened stores in Canada, United Kingdom, Japan, Korea, and Denmark.

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 first store opened in St. Louis, Missouri, in 1997, and the company now operates 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 recently opened stores in Japan, Korea and Denmark. The company is on track to open more international stores this year including its first store in France, making it the global leader in the teddy bear business. For more information on the company and its products call (877) 789-BEAR (2327) or visit the company's award-winning web site at www.buildabear.com.