Statement of Financial Position [Abstract] Cash and cash equivalents Cash and cash equivalents, beginning of period Cash and cash equivalents, end of period Inventories Receivables Prepaid expenses and other current assets Deferred tax assets Total current assets Property and equipment, net of accumulated depreciation of $191,103, $185,044 and $181,527, respectively Property and equipment, net Other intangible assets, net Other assets, net Total Assets Assets Accounts payable Accrued expenses Gift cards and customer deposits Deferred revenue Deferred tax liability Total current liabilities Deferred franchise revenue Deferred rent Other liabilities Preferred stock, par value $0.01, Shares authorized: 15,000,000; No shares issued or outstanding at July 4, 2015, January 3, 2015 and June 28, 2014 Preferred stock, par value (in Dollars per share) Preferred stock, shares authorized Preferred stock, shares issued Preferred stock, shares outstanding Issued and outstanding: 16,950,205; 17,360,635 and 17,617,182 shares, respectively Common stock, par value (in Dollars per share) Common stock, shares authorized Common stock, shares issued Common stock, shares outstanding Additional paid-in capital Accumulated other comprehensive loss Retained earnings Total stockholders' equity Total Liabilities and Stockholders' Equity Income Statement [Abstract] Net retail sales Franchise fees Commercial revenue Total revenues Net sales to external customers Net sales to external customers Nature of Expense [Axis] Retail [Member] Cost of Merchandise Sold Commercial [Member] Selling, general and administrative Interest expense (income), net Total costs and expenses Income (loss) before income taxes Income (loss) before income taxes Income tax expense Net income (loss) Net income Net income (loss) before allocation of earnings to participating securities Foreign currency translation adjustment Comprehensive income (loss) Basic (in Dollars per share) Basic income (loss) per common share attributable to Build-A-Bear Workshop, Inc. stockholders: Diluted (in Dollars per share) Diluted income (loss) per common share attributable to Build-A-Bear Workshop, Inc. stockholders Basic (in Shares) Weighted average number of common shares outstanding - basic Diluted (in Shares) Weighted average number of common shares outstanding - dilutive Statement of Cash Flows [Abstract] Depreciation and amortization Depreciation and amortization Stock-based compensation Deferred taxes Impairment of store assets Provision for doubtful accounts Trade credit utilization Loss on disposal of property and equipment Inventories Receivables Prepaid expenses and other assets Accounts payable and accrued expenses Lease related liabilities Gift cards and customer deposits Deferred revenue Net cash used in operating activities Purchases of property and equipment Purchases of other assets and other intangible assets Cash used in investing activities Proceeds from the exercise of employee stock options, net of withholding tax payments Purchases of Company's common stock Cash (used in) provided by financing activities Effect of exchange rates on cash Net (decrease) increase in cash and cash equivalents Disclosure Text Block [Abstract] Prepaid Expenses And Other Assets [Abstract] Prepaid Expenses and Other Current Assets [Abstract] Prepaid rent Short-term investment Other Payables and Accruals [Abstract] Accrued Expenses [Abstract] Accrued wages, bonuses and related expenses Sales tax payable Accrued rent and related expenses Current income taxes payable Disclosure of Compensation Related Costs, Share-based Payments [Abstract] Summary of the Balance and Activity for the Plans Related to Stock Options [Abstract] Restricted Stock Options Award Type [Axis] Restricted Stock [Member] Employee Stock Option [Member] Income Tax Disclosure [Abstract] Earnings Per Share [Abstract] Computation Basic and Diluted Earnings per Common Share [Abstract] Net income (loss) after allocation of earnings to participating securities Segment Reporting [Abstract] Financial Information for the Company’s Reportable Segments [Abstract] Capital expenditures, net Segments [Axis] International Franchising [Member] Sales to External Customers and Long-lived Assets by Geographic Area [Abstract] Geographical [Axis] North America [Member] Europe [Member] Other Geographic Region [Member] Commitments and Contingencies Disclosure [Abstract] Subsequent Events [Abstract] ASSETS Current assets: Property and equipment, accumulated depreciation (in Dollars) LIABILITIES AND STOCKHOLDERS' EQUITY Current liabilities: Stockholders' equity: Common stock, par value $0.01, Shares authorized: 50,000,000; Revenues: Costs and expenses: Income (loss) per common share: Shares used in computing common per share amounts: Cash flows from operating activities: Adjustments to reconcile net income to net cash used in operating activities: Change in assets and liabilities: Cash flows from investing activities: Cash flows from financing activities: Business Description and Basis of Presentation [Text Block] Prepaid Expenses And Other Assets [Text Block] Deferred Costs, Capitalized, Prepaid, and Other Assets Disclosure [Table Text Block] Accounts Payable and Accrued Liabilities Disclosure [Text Block] Schedule of Accrued Liabilities [Table Text Block] Disclosure of Compensation Related Costs, Share-based Payments [Text Block] Schedule of Nonvested Share Activity [Table Text Block] Granted Granted Vested Exercised Forfeited Forfeited Canceled or expired Income Tax Disclosure [Text Block] Earnings Per Share [Text Block] Schedule of Earnings Per Share, Basic and Diluted [Table Text Block] NUMERATOR: Less: Earnings allocated to participating securities DENOMINATOR: Dilutive effect of share-based awards: Comprehensive Income (Loss) Note [Text Block] Segment Reporting Disclosure [Text Block] Schedule of Segment Reporting Information, by Segment [Table Text Block] Thirteen weeks ended June 28, 2014 Twenty-six weeks ended July 4, 2015 Twenty-six weeks ended June 28, 2014 Total Assets as of: Schedule of Revenue from External Customers and Long-Lived Assets, by Geographical Areas [Table Text Block] Thirteen weeks ended June 28, 2014 Twenty-six weeks ended July 4, 2015 Twenty-six weeks ended June 28, 2014 Commitments and Contingencies Disclosure [Text Block] Description of New Accounting Pronouncements Not yet Adopted [Text Block] Subsequent Events [Text Block] Income Statement Location [Axis] Selling, General and Administrative Expenses [Member] Options and Restricted Stock [Member] Antidilutive Securities [Axis] Share Repurchase Program [Axis] The February 2015 Share Repurchase Program [Member] The July 2015 Share Repurchase Program [Member] Subsequent Event Type [Axis] Subsequent Event [Member] Plan Name [Axis] Share Repurchase Programs 2015 [Member] Allocated Share-based Compensation Expense Employee Service Share-based Compensation, Nonvested Awards, Compensation Cost Not yet Recognized Employee Service Share-based Compensation, Nonvested Awards, Compensation Cost Not yet Recognized, Period for Recognition Share-based Compensation Arrangement by Share-based Payment Award, Equity Instruments Other than Options, Vested in Period, Fair Value Effective Income Tax Rate Reconciliation, Percent Antidilutive Securities Excluded from Computation of Earnings Per Share, Amount Translation Adjustment Functional to Reporting Currency, Loss (Gain), Reclassified to Earnings, Net of Tax Number of Operating Segments Number of Reportable Segments Receivable Disputed Duty Paid Stock Repurchase Program, Authorized Amount Treasury Stock, Shares, Acquired (in Shares) Treasury Stock, Value, Acquired, Cost Method Stock Repurchase Program, Remaining Authorized Repurchase Amount Interim Period, Costs Not Allocable [Domain] Equity Award [Domain] Note 4 - Stock-based Compensation (Details) - Summary of the Balance and Activity for the Plans Related to Stock Options [Table] Note 4 - Stock-based Compensation (Details) - Summary of the Balance and Activity for the Plans Related to Stock Options [Line Items] Segments [Domain] Schedule of Segment Reporting Information, by Segment [Table] Segment Reporting Information [Line Items] Geographical [Domain] Schedule of Revenues from External Customers and Long-Lived Assets [Table] Revenues from External Customers and Long-Lived Assets [Line Items] Income Statement Location [Domain] Note 4 - Stock-based Compensation (Details) [Table] Note 4 - Stock-based Compensation (Details) [Line Items] Antidilutive Securities, Name [Domain] Note 6 - Income (Loss) per Share (Details) [Table] Note 6 - Income (Loss) per Share (Details) [Line Items] Plan Name [Domain] Subsequent Event Type [Domain] Share Repurchase Program [Domain] Note 11 - Subsequent Event (Details) [Table] Note 11 - Subsequent Event (Details) [Line Items] Revenue earned during the period from consideration received for transactions with other businesses, mainly through wholesale transactions and licensing of intellectual properties for third-party use. Change in liability related to deferred and accrued rent in the reporting period. The entire disclosure for prepaid expenses and other current assets. The cash outflow or inflow resulting from the exercised employee stock options, net of the tax payments for withholding. The amount of disputed duty paid and is included in receivables. Commercial [Member] International Franchising [Member] Options And Restricted Stock [Member] Represents such share based compensation awards as options and restricted stock. Other Geographic Region [Member] Retail [Member] Share Repurchase Program 2015 [Member] The name or description of the equity based plan. Share Repurchase Programs 2015 [Member] The name or description of the group of repurchase programs. State And Foreign Net Operating Loss Carryforwards [Member] The type of valuation allowance pertaining to deferred tax assets. The February 2015 Share Repurchase Program [Member] The name or description of the share repurchase program. The July 2015 Share Repurchase Program [Member] The name or description of the repurchase program. Document and Entity Information [Abstract] ProceedsFromPaymentsToTheExerciseOfEmployeeStockOptionsNetOfWithholdingTaxPayments TwentySixWeeksEndedJuly42015Abstract0 ThirteenWeeksEndedJune282014Abstract0 TwentySixWeeksEndedJune282014Abstract0 Preferred Stock, Value, Issued Net Cash Provided by (Used in) Financing Activities, Continuing Operations Share-based Compensation Entity Central Index Key Increase (Decrease) in Prepaid Expense and Other Assets Share-based Compensation Arrangement by Share-based Payment Award, Options, Outstanding, Number Amendment Flag Interest Income (Expense), Nonoperating, Net Payments for Repurchase of Common Stock Entity Public Float Document Period End Date Entity Registrant Name Increase (Decrease) in Inventories Payments to Acquire Intangible Assets Share-based Compensation Arrangement by Share-based Payment Award, Equity Instruments Other than Options, Nonvested, Number Increase (Decrease) in Gift Card Liability Trading Symbol Share-based Compensation Arrangement by Share-based Payment Award, Options, Forfeitures in Period Gain (Loss) on Disposition of Assets Increase (Decrease) in Deferred Revenue Liabilities and Equity Assets, Current Document Fiscal Period Focus Cash and Cash Equivalents, Period Increase (Decrease) Entity Current Reporting Status Liabilities, Current Document Type Document Fiscal Year Focus Share-based Compensation Arrangement by Share-based Payment Award, Options, Grants in Period, Gross Net Income (Loss) Available to Common Stockholders, Basic Payments to Acquire Property, Plant, and Equipment Entity Common Stock, Shares Outstanding Costs and Expenses Current Fiscal Year End Date Net Cash Provided by (Used in) Operating Activities, Continuing Operations Stockholders' Equity Attributable to Parent Net Cash Provided by (Used in) Investing Activities, Continuing Operations Increase (Decrease) in Accounts Payable and Accrued Liabilities Increase (Decrease) in Receivables Entity Voluntary Filers Entity Filer Category Entity Well-known Seasoned Issuer Amendment Description Statement [Table] Statement [Line Items] Scenario [Axis]