Valentine's Day Not Just About Romance Any More, Build-A-Bear Workshop® Survey Reveals

ST. LOUIS, Jan. 28, 2014 /PRNewswire/ -- While some may only consider Valentine's Day an occasion for romance, a new survey from Build-A-Bear Workshop reveals 92 percent of Americans surveyed agree that the holiday is more about giving and celebrating those close to you, rather than courtship. The Build-A-Bear Workshop survey also revealed that 64 percent of Americans see personalized Valentine's Day gifts as the most special and that almost one third (30 percent) of Americans still have not decided what they are giving their loved ones this year.

(Photo:  http://photos.prnewswire.com/prnh/20140128/NY53667-INFO)

"Over one million Guests are expected to visit Build-A-Bear Workshop stores nationwide each Valentine's Day season to have a special experience with someone they care about and to create personalized gifts," said Sharon John, Build-A-Bear Workshop chief executive officer. "Additionally, this year, Build-A-Bear Workshop and Make-A-Wish are launching a new 'Million Hearts, Million Wishes, Million Ways to Help' Valentine's Day effort to provide Guests with a 'beary' special way to benefit children with life-threatening medical conditions."

Build-A-Bear Workshop provides a "Million Ways" to make this Valentine's Day special
As part of the Build-A-Bear Workshop "Million Hearts, Million Wishes, Million Ways to Help" effort, Guests can share photos of their "heart ceremony" when they wish on a limited edition "One in a Million" red satin heart that is added to their stuffed animal. For every photo shared on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, or Pinterest with #sharebabwwishes, Build-A-Bear Workshop will donate $1 to Make-A-Wish, up to $30,000. Build-A-Bear Workshop Guests can also make monetary donations to support Make-A-Wish at checkout in stores nationwide and online at buildabear.com through March. Build-A-Bear Workshop and its Guests will donate a minimum contribution of $250,000 to Make-A-Wish.

"Both Build-A-Bear Workshop and Make-A-Wish work to create unique experiences that bring joy to children, making this relationship a perfect fit," said David A. Williams, president and CEO of Make-A-Wish America. "Through its support, Build-A-Bear Workshop is helping Make-A-Wish deliver hope, happiness and a renewed sense of possibility to kids with life-threatening medical conditions."

Build-A-Bear Workshop to host Wish Events across the United States
Build-A-Bear Workshop will host special Valentine's Day events in select cities to celebrate select Make-A-Wish wish kids on February 6, 2014. These events will be uniquely tailored to honor each of the wish kids and their families in attendance. Events will take place in New York, Orlando, St. Louis, Dallas and Orange County. Photos and video of Build-A-Bear Workshop celebrating these courageous wish kids will be posted after the events at www.facebook.com/buildabear.

About the Survey 
The survey was conducted January 9-13, 2014, by Toluna PLC on behalf of Build-A-Bear Workshop. The survey was fielded online among a demographically representative sample of 2,129 U.S. adults, age 18+.

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. There are more than 400 Build-A-Bear Workshop stores worldwide, including company-owned stores in the United States, Puerto Rico, Canada, the United Kingdom and Ireland, and franchise stores in Europe, Asia, Australia, Africa, the Middle East and Mexico. The company was named to the FORTUNE 100 Best Companies to Work For^® list for the sixth year in a row in 2014. Build-A-Bear Workshop (NYSE: BBW) posted total revenue of $380.9 million in fiscal 2012. For more information, call 888.560.BEAR (2327) or visit the company's award-winning website at buildabear.com^®.

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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^® 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^® should only be used in capital letters to refer to our products and services and should not be used as a verb.

About Make-A-Wish  
Make-A-Wish grants the wishes of children with life-threatening medical conditions to enrich the human experience with hope, strength and joy. According to a 2011 U.S. study of wish impact, most health professionals surveyed believe a wish-come-true can have positive impacts on the health of children. Kids say wishes give them renewed strength to fight their illnesses, and their parents say these experiences help strengthen the entire family. Based in Phoenix, Make-A-Wish is one of the world's leading children's charities, serving children in every community in the United States and its territories. With the help of generous donors and more than 25,000 volunteers, Make-A-Wish grants a wish somewhere in the country every 38 minutes. It has granted more than 240,000 wishes since its inception in 1980; more than 14,000 in 2013 alone. Visit Make-A-Wish at wish.org to learn more.

SOURCE Build-A-Bear Workshop, Inc.

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