Press Release

Guests invited to design new outfits for the company’s mascots

ST. LOUIS (April 3, 2012)—Build-A-Bear Workshop®, the interactive entertainment retailer of customized stuffed animals, is inviting Guests to create a new outfit for Bearemy® and PawletteCoufur®, the company’s huggable mascots. Guests may submit their drawings for the FurbulousFashion Design Contest®between April 9 and May 3 by visiting any Build-A-Bear Workshop store nationwide to pick up an entry kit or online at buildabear.com/sweeps. To help select the winners, Build-A-Bear Workshop will invite Guests to participate in online voting at buildabear.com/sweepsfrom May 31 through June 14.

There will be two grand prize winners, one for Bearemy’s outfit design and one for Pawlette’soutfit design.Thewinners will each be awarded a trip to New York City to see theirdesigns debutedat the 2012 Thanksgiving Day Parade on Thursday, November 22, 2012 as Bearemy and PawletteCoufurride the Build-A-Bear Workshop float in their new outfits. The winners will alsoreceive a $5,000 educational scholarship, a bear-sized version of their winning outfit, and a $50 Bear Buck$® gift card to make their own furry friend at Build-A-Bear Workshop.

"At Build-A-Bear Workshop, we have always been inspired by children,"said Maxine Clark, Build-A-Bear Workshop founder and chief executive bear. "With the Furbulous Fashion Design Contest, we look forward to giving our Guests the opportunity to show their creativity and leave a lasting impression on Build-A-Bear Workshop!"

This contest is part of a yearlong "Friends Count" celebration to thank Guests for helping the company reach the milestone oftheir 15th birthday and 100 million furry friends made. The initiative also includes in-store events, charitable activities, and the launch of a brand new website, buildabear.com/stories, where Guests can share and read stories about others who have made furry friends at Build-A-Bear Workshop. Additionally, a special song, called "Friends Count", was written especially for this celebration and performed by Victoria Justice. The song is available to download when Guests make a $1 donation to St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital®, one of the world’s premier pediatric cancer research centers, which Build-A-Bear Workshop has supported since March 2011.

The company will continue the "Friends Count" celebration with various activities throughout the year to spotlight the emotional connection created with each furry friend, including a Teddy Bear Reunionand a special birthday party.For more information and updates on Build-A-Bear Workshop and the yearlong "Friends Count" initiative visit:

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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 U.S., Puerto Rico, Canada, the United Kingdom and Ireland, and franchise stores in Europe, Asia, Australia, Africa, the Middle East, Mexico and South America. Founded in St. Louis in 1997, Build-A-Bear Workshop is the leader in interactive retail. Brands include make-your-own Major League Baseball® mascot in-stadium locations, and Build-A-Dino® stores. Build-A-Bear Workshop extends its in-store interactive experience online with its award winning virtual world and entertainment destination website at bearville.com™. The company was named to the FORTUNE 100 Best Companies to Work For® list for the fourth year in a row in 2012. Build-A-Bear Workshop (NYSE: BBW) posted total revenue of $394.4 million in fiscal 2011. For more information, call 888.560.BEAR (2327) or visit the company's award-winning website at buildabear.com®.

About the Build-A-Bear Workshop Friends Count Celebration
Throughout 2012, Build-A-Bear Workshop® is celebrating its 15th birthday and 100 million furry friends made. To thank Guests for helping the company reach these milestones, Build-A-Bear Workshop is hosting a year-long "Friends Count" celebration. The celebration includes in-store events and charitable activities. The company is also inviting Guests to share and read stories about others who have made furry friends at Build-A-Bear Workshop at the website buildabear.com/stories. For more information and updates on Build-A-Bear Workshop and the year-long "Friends Count" initiative visit buildabear.com® .

TRADEMARKS
We would like to thank you for your interest in covering our business. As you write your story, we wouldask that you use our full name: Build-A-Bear Workshop®and that when referencing the processof 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.

Contact:
Jill Saunders
314-423-8000 ext. 5293
314-422-4523 (cell)
JillS@buildabear.com

Shannon Lammert
314-423-8000 ext. 5379
314-556-8841 (cell)
ShannonL@buildabear.com