Build-A-Bear Workshop

This was a great place to visit with my little one. The employees were very nice, but I was a little disappointed with the selection of bears. That’s just me though. Everything else was great!

Friendly staff even though they were pretty busy. I wish asked about getting the bear shipped since I instantly regretted getting it so early in my day. Had to carry it around and the thought of traveling with it is driving me to consider losing the box (that’s part of the presentation though! Sad face!). I think the products themselves are over priced so not an item I see myself getting too often.

This store has always scared me. Yes, I know kids love it. They do a great job too, but the idea of seeing the skins of teddies, my little ponies and dragons just wigs me out a bit.
They have all manner of stuffables here, you can even choose some awesome outfits for them at a good price. Don’t forget to record a message and tuck it inside!

They really do a good job entertaining your little ones. My son always want to stop over this place when we visit Navy Pier. It isn’t cheap, so set a budget before you go in. It doesn’t get too busy unless a holiday weekend. I recommended as you will have fun.

The last time I was at Build a Bear Workshop was over a year ago, and
I had made my Granddaughter Carissa a really nice, soft, rainbow plush
bunny and I had outfitted her bunny in Hello Kitty Pajamas and a Hello Kitty
Robe with bunny slippers and when my Granddaughter saw that bunny for
the first time her face lit up and. I will never forget how happy she was.
And, her Mom Cindy told me to this day she doesn’t want to let go of
that bunny.
So, I am going up to Wisconsin to see my Granddaughter on Sunday
and. I don’t get to see her very much so I wanted to make/​bring her
something that I knew she would love.
On my last visit I brought her Princess Barbies and I thought she would
love them, they were really nice I thought I bought them at the Disney Store
after all.
But, okay, one of those damn princess barbies had a long gold, glittery
gown on and the glitter was going all over my Granddaughters hands and she
very politely asked me if I would take her to the bathroom and wash her hands
with her, and after like 4 times I said I would never buy another princess
Barbie again for anyone!
So, Carissa is 4 and Pink is her favorite color, not mine, but she’s what
matters so I went looking for something pink.
Found a pink kitty with orange sunglasses, I didn’t like this kitty, it had a big head
and orange and pink clash!
So, I found this great Pink Penguin, so cute and plush looking so I decided
this was the one I wanted, so I took it over to the stuffing machine where
I actually stuffed it myself, Hey, I put my foot on the pedal!, Rose actually
helped me, I inserted a heart into this penguin after I held it in my hands
and warmed it and then I added the cutest sound effect to Carissa’s
Penguin, a really cute $ 4.00 giggle, and it was worth every cent!
My Penguin was ready to be dressed/​outfitted now so I will run down
this outfit.
White Fur Puffer Jacket– $ 12.00
Snowflake Sweater Set– $ 12.50
White Sparkling Fur Boots-​$ 9.00
Fur Purse $ 5.00
Fur Bow-​$ 3.00
Fur Headband-​$ 3.00
So, my penguins outfit cost $ 44.50!
Please see Pictures of my Granddaughters Penguin that I dressed
to the nines because this penguins outfit cost more than the one I’m
wearing right now!
Oh, cost of Pinky the Penguin $ 18.00!
Okay, so now we have established I am nuts for spending this type of
money/​cash on an outfit for a Penguin, not even a real penguin, but a
stuffed one!
But, honestly, I can’t wait to see the look on my Granddaughters face
when she sees her Penguin, because I owe it to her after gifting her
with that crappy Princess Barbie.
I Love Build a Bear Workshop, and I Love my Granddaughter.
I think she will love her Penguin.:)
And that makes me happy.:)

Friendly staff and decent selection, just very pricey to outfit a bear…

Despite the fact that they’re all the way out on the Navy Pier, the in-​person service is great. DON’T TRY AND CALL HOWEVER BECAUSE THEY’RE OF LITTLE HELP THAT WAY. They’ll try and get off the phone fast, recommending that you purchase online instead.

Kudos, Build-​A-​Bear.
You managed to get me to make an additional side trip to Navy Pier, and among some other light shopping, use my free ‘mini tee vouchers’ for my four mini BABW bears I got from McD’s 2 months back.
Not only that, but after being treated well and not pushed about actually buying anything, your super friendly employees and enticing displays got me to BUY SOMETHING.
Entering with the intention of spending not a dime, I left with Alonzo, my stuffed dachshund, outfitted with a hot dog costume. All about $ 30.
Should’ve known I what I was getting myself into…
Just a tip for you attached boys out there: Got a girl who’s a kid at heart? Take her here for a date. Make a stuffed animal together (Kiss the heart together before they sew it up. Yes, I said that. Just do it.). Anytime you’re away, she’s still got a bit of you to snuggle. Sounds cheesy as the blazes and it’s the best!

Is my daughter ridiculously spoiled?
Probably.
Does she love it?
Absolutely.
Is it going to stop anytime soon?
Likely not.
The family and I were at Navy Pier on a Saturday to pick up my husband’s race packet for the Shamrock Shuffle. We were killing some time before it opened, and we passed this place while it was still closed. We have a tradition – our daughter gets to make one of these for her birthday, Easter, and Christmas if she wants to… let’s just say she’s never chosen not to. Her bed barely has enough room on it for HER because of all of her wonderful animals.
So after we picked up the packet, we decided to let her build a bear from this location rather than the one in Woodfield Mall, which is closer to home.
We have been to two other BABs in the past, and this one is by FAR the best. It has the best selection, it is like a well-​oiled machine, and the staff is SO nice. They were super friendly to all of us. Not in the «fake friendly because I have to» sort of way, but in the genuine «I love my job» sort of a way.
So my daughter had a great time picking out a really colorful bunny, stuffing it, grooming it, picking out its clothes, and making a birth certificate for it. She loves the experience of it!
I also think it’s really cool that they put a barcode in the animal so if she ever loses it, someone can bring it back to the store, and it can find its way back to its rightful owner! Super cool!
I definitely like this location!

Went here with the GF to get each other a bear! This place has somewhat ghetto customers but aside from that, everything is great! The staff seems a little snobby and ghetto at first too but after exchanging a few kind words they become super nice (odd, but really nice). They have a good selection of clothing for the bears! I personally am in the Navy and was kind of upset at what little selections they had for Sailors!
Anyway, the bear they stuffed for me and my significant other were a really good consistency. Firm but not too firm, and still made the bear cuddly and soft. It is inexpensive, and a great place to treat a lady if you guys are ever out at Navy Pier!

I just love Build a bear. I first came here without a child and then again with my child and I am never disappointed. The staff that works with the kids are so friendly and helpful. My kid just loves it (and of course so do I). I really appreciate the price range because for $ 30 you can get a bear and an outfit. I love the birth certificate as well as the little house box that you get to take your new friend home.
I recommend this to anyone with children or who are a child at heart.

What an amazing experience!!! I think I wanna be a kid again just so I can make up a ton of reasons to go to build a bear! I took my god daughter because she graduated from 8^th grade and now she is proud parents of a hello kitty and a peace bear named Kennedy and Kylie that plays the ICarly theme song! The staff seemed to be all into it and LOVED their job! Well at least that’s what several told me as we walked through the bear making process. I cant wait to go back its an experience worth having young or old.

I don’t wanna grow up, I just wanna be a kid.
I am now the proud mother of baby owl June 30, 2010.
I can’t remember the last time I was excited over a toy but since I had never been to Build A Bear, I felt it was only fair to give my only stuffed animal I owned at home a friend.
So my friend and I joined in the process to making our own little bear well in this case an owl. We picked out clothes and made a birth certificate. I must say the experience was pretty rad even at my age. I’m sure that every child would see the excitement of being apart in creating something.

Build-​A-​Bear is one of the few worthwhile reasons for a city resident to brave the tourist herds down at Navy Pier. Kids will go just nuts over the idea of building and dressing their own stuffed animal — adults might find it a bit hokey, but it’s still a worthwhile destination for any grown-​up who is looking for a charming «special occasion» gift.
My one and only semi-​complaint with the Build-​A-​Bear experience is that I found the selection of animals & outfits — though pretty extensive for your average bear builder I’m sure — to be overall pretty innocent and predictable. I always leave feeling a little regret that I did not have an opportunity to build myself a really freaky bear. If someone was to come up with a more «adult» version of this concept — something like Rotofugi meets Build-​A-​Bear — they might have a real gold mine on their hands.

Oh the things I do for my niece. If she only knew that I braved Navy Pier. On a Saturday.
For my niece’s birthday I decided to get her a Build-​a-​Bear gift card. I’ve never been there but I know the concept involves stuffing a bear, buying it an outfit, and taking it home.
I tried to survey the age of the kids in the store. I would say they were mostly ages 4 – 7 and yes, they were going nuts.
I got a $ 30 gift card which the cashier informed me was enough to stuff a bear and buy it an outfit. And a gift card can be used at any Build-​A-​Bear Workshop.

This is from my first visit to this store last fall.
Your dad needs emegerncy heart surgery, you don’t think you will be able to travel to another state to make it, to be there with him, what do you send him?
I decided build-​a-​bear. I went to the store and picked out a simple brown bear. I dressed it up in a chicago tshirt, and made it hold a flower that said get well. They have you pik out a heart rub in on your tummy so the bear doesn’t get hungry, rub it on your nose, so he isn’t nosey, rub it on your head so they never have a bad hair day. then you close your eyes and make a wish kiss the heart and put it in the bear. I also made my own sound, that said I love you daddy.
You then name the bear. It was so nice, my dad cried, but cried even more that I made it to be with him.
Thank you build-​a-​bear!

My son absolutely adored this store. He found a bear that looked exactly like the character in on of his favorite books. He loves animated toys, so we picked a sound box to place inside. He was able to stuff the bear by stepping on a little pump, pick a heart to place inside, and then take it to the bath station to clean off the excess fuzz. The next step was creating a birth certificate for his new found friend. He had alot of fun playing on their computer. They then provided a little cardboard house to place his bear in. He was disappointed that they didn’t have any Frankenstein or Skeleton outfits, so we skipped buying any clothes. Really nice and friendly staff. Prices are reasonable, ours only cost $ 22.

This was the VERY first Build A Bear shop I’ve been to and seen.
(There wasn’t one in Texas or in New York at that time — this was circa 1999)
I came here with this girl that I knew.
She build a bear for her then boyfriend and I swear a 5 year old could have created something better than what she constructed!
The bear looked deformed in the worst possible way!
And besides why in the hell would you get a stupid bear for your bf when you know your ass ain’t creative!
She’s unthoughtful person… no wonder I don’t talk to her ass anymore!

Have one of those friends who has everything? Try Build-​A-​Ber where you customize a stuffed animal for your friend — put in a special sound or even some phrase or saying that you two will get. You even get to kiss its heart before they put it inside of all that stuffing — dress it up or dress it down to fit your friend’s particular need. Fun place to hit up and great last minute gift idea!

This place is so awesome! You can totally customize your entire stuffed animal from the stuffing on the inside to the clothes on the outside! These make great gifts, it means so much more knowing how much thought was put into it!