Press Release

A Portion of Proceeds Goes to Children's Health and Wellness Charities, Literacy, Pets and Endangered Animals

ST. LOUIS--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Dec. 5, 2006--What many people remember most about the holiday season is not the quantity of gifts they got, but the quality of the gifts they gave - especially to those less fortunate than them.

Build-A-Bear Workshop(R) provides its Guests with a variety of ways to purchase furry friends that give twice - once to a friend or family member and then again to a charitable cause. When Guests buy a specific Build-A-Bear Workshop pal, a portion of the proceeds goes to organizations with programs that support children's health and wellness, literacy, and animal welfare. Since opening the first store in 1997, Build-A-Bear Workshop has donated approximately $9 million to charitable organizations.

Leading the gifts-that-give-twice cause this year is Champ - A Champion Fur Kids. For each Champ bear purchased ($18 U.S., $23 CDN), a dollar goes toward the support of children's health and wellness causes through the Build-A-Bear Workshop Bear Hugs Foundation.

Champ isn't just furry. He's resourceful and brave, with patches representing various struggles like juvenile diabetes, cancer, autism, cerebral palsy, hearing, vision and speech limitations and other health and wellness issues that children face. Champ also sends a message that it's ok to let your stuffing show - to ask for help and share your feelings.

Nikki Giampolo is the special spirit behind Champ. In 2002, Nikki, 15, lost her battle with cancer. She shared her love by giving bears and their hugs to all those around her. Inspired by Nikki, Build-A-Bear Workshop launched the Nikki's Bear series of stuffed animals to raise money for children's charities. Champ's purple patch heart is a symbol of Nikki and Champ builds on her legacy, providing encouragement to all kids who must deal with difficult challenges.

Guests also can purchase several other furry friends devoted to special causes:

• Read Teddy(R) - A portion of the proceeds is donated to the international literacy non-profit organization First Book(R) to provide new books to children from low-income families. Read Teddy also supports other literacy organizations around the country. Price: $16 U.S., $25 CDN.



• Bearemy's Kennel Pals(R) - A portion of the proceeds goes to animal shelters, stray pet rescue and rehabilitation organizations and other domestic pet programs. The 16-inch Bearemy's Kennel Pals are $22 U.S., $30 CDN. The latest pal is the White Fluffy Puppy.



• World Wildlife Fund (WWF) Collectibear(R) Friends - One dollar from the sale of each WWF Collectibear goes to the World Wildlife Fund. This donation supports WWF's conservation efforts worldwide including saving endangered species, protecting endangered habitats and addressing global threats such as deforestation, overfishing and climate change. The Snow Leopard is the newest WWF Collectibear. Price: $25 U.S., $34 CDN.

"Our Guests are always looking for ways to give back to their communities, especially during the holiday season," said Build-A-Bear Workshop(R) Founder and Chief Executive Bear Maxine Clark. "At Build-A-Bear Workshop, our shoppers can create personalized, unique gifts for everyone on their gift list and have the satisfaction of knowing that a portion of the purchase price is going to help others."

In addition to the furry friends that give twice, special purple satin hearts are available ($1) at every Build-A-Bear Workshop store and at www.buildabear.com. For each heart purchased, 100 percent of the proceeds are donated to the Build-A-Bear Workshop Foundation to help support programs for children, families and animals.

About Build-A-Bear Workshop, Inc.

Build-A-Bear Workshop, Inc. is the only global company that offers an interactive make-your-own stuffed animal retail-entertainment experience. Founded in St. Louis in 1997, the company currently operates more than 260 stores in the United States, Canada, the United Kingdom and Ireland. The addition of franchise stores in Europe, Asia and Australia make Build-A-Bear Workshop the leader in interactive retail. In November 2004, the company expanded the make-your-own concept from stuffed animals to dolls with the opening of its first friends 2B made(R) stores, where Guests can make their own doll friends. In April 2006, Build-A-Bear Workshop acquired The Bear Factory Limited and Amsbra, Ltd. adding company-owned stores in the United Kingdom and Ireland. Build-A-Bear Workshop (NYSE: BBW) posted total revenue of $362 million in fiscal 2005. For more information, call 888.560.BEAR (2327) or visit the company's award-winning Web sites at www.buildabear.com and www.friends2bmade.com.

TRADEMARKS

We would like to thank you for your interest in covering our business. As you write your story, we would ask that you use our full Name: Build-A-Bear Workshop(R) and that when referencing the process of making stuffed animals you use the word "make" not "build."

Build-A-Bear Workshop is our well-known trade name and our registered trademark of Build-A-Bear Retail Management, Inc. Build-A-Bear Workshop(R) should only be used in capital letters to refer to our products and services and should not be used as a verb.

MULTIMEDIA AVAILABLE:
http://www.businesswire.com/cgi-bin/mmg.cgi?eid=5287867

CONTACT: Build-A-Bear Workshop, Inc.
Kris Brill, 314-780-1332
krbrill@swbell.net
or
Katy Lachky, 314-423-8000, ext. 5379 or 314-283-3122
katyl@buildabear.com
or
Canadian Contact
Penelope Savoie, 416-366-7735
psavoie@strategicobjectives.com

SOURCE: Build-A-Bear Workshop, Inc.