All articles tagged with #build a bear
Build-A-Bear has seen over 60% stock growth in 2025 despite tariffs and declining mall traffic, driven by strong store performance and consumer interest in craft-oriented products, with the company adjusting strategies to mitigate tariff impacts.
Build-A-Bear Workshop is thriving despite retail challenges, driven by nostalgia, diversification into new markets, and strategic planning to mitigate tariffs, with record revenue and expanding international presence.
Plush toy makers Build-A-Bear and Squishmallows are embroiled in a legal battle, with each suing the other over alleged copycat designs. Kelly Toys and Jazwares, the creators of Squishmallows, claim that Build-A-Bear's new "Skoosherz" line infringes on their trade dress rights, seeking damages and a sales stoppage. In response, Build-A-Bear filed a lawsuit asserting that Skoosherz does not violate Squishmallows' rights and that the claimed trade dress is unenforceable. The legal dispute highlights the competitive nature of the plush toy industry, with Squishmallows gaining immense popularity and celebrity endorsements.
Stuffed toy-makers Build-A-Bear and Jazwares, owned by Warren Buffett's Berkshire Hathaway, have filed dueling lawsuits, with Jazwares accusing Build-A-Bear of copying its Squishmallow designs and seeking an order for them to stop making their Skoosherz line of toys, while Build-A-Bear claims that Squishmallows lack a consistent look and feel and wants a court declaration that it did not infringe Jazwares' "trade dress" rights.
Plush toy maker Squishmallows has initiated a legal battle against Build-A-Bear Workshop, claiming that the latter's new toy, Skoosherz, is too similar to its own egg-shaped cushion animal characters. Jazwares, the maker of Squishmallows, has filed an intellectual property lawsuit in California, while Build-A-Bear Workshop has retaliated with its own lawsuit in Missouri. The dispute centers around the alleged similarities in design and features of the two toy lines, with Jazwares accusing Build-A-Bear of intentionally copying Squishmallows' success.
Warren Buffett's company Jazwares, maker of the popular Squishmallows plush toys, is suing Build-A-Bear Workshop over its new Skoosherz plush toy line, alleging that they are "knockoffs" that infringe on its intellectual property rights. Build-A-Bear has filed a countersuit, claiming that Skoosherz are based on its existing plush animals. The dispute marks Jazwares' latest effort to protect Squishmallows from alleged knockoffs and counterfeits, including a lawsuit against online retail platform Alibaba. Squishmallows, which gained popularity through TikTok and celebrity endorsements, have been a part of Warren Buffett's Berkshire since it acquired Jazwares' parent company in 2022.
Jazwares, the maker of Squishmallows plush toys owned by Berkshire Hathaway, has sued Build-A-Bear Workshop for allegedly infringing its intellectual property rights with its new Skoosherz plush toy line, while Build-A-Bear has filed a countersuit claiming that Skoosherz is based on its existing plush animals. The legal dispute marks Jazwares' latest effort to protect Squishmallows from alleged knockoffs and counterfeits, and both companies are seeking court declarations and damages.
Build-A-Bear has partnered with Axiom Space to create a zero-g indicator named "GiGi," which will fly on the Ax-2 mission to the International Space Station. The doll is dressed in a miniature version of Axiom's AxEMU spacesuit and will float inside the SpaceX Dragon spacecraft to indicate when the crew has entered the microgravity environment of space. The Ax-2 crew hopes that GiGi will inspire students to learn more about space exploration and consider careers in STEM. Build-A-Bear is also offering for sale the "Axiom Space Bear," a 16-inch-tall version of the Ax-2 zero-g indicator.
Axiom Space and Build-A-Bear have partnered to send a teddy bear named GiGi as the fifth crew member alongside the Axiom Mission 2 astronauts. GiGi's mission is to inspire children around the world to learn about space and consider careers in science, technology, engineering, the arts, and mathematics (STEAM). The partnership aims to encourage children of all ages to learn about space exploration and expand access to microgravity for individuals, countries, and institutions to conduct meaningful scientific research.
Build-A-Bear Workshop has advertised a new drag queen teddy bear, the "RuPaul Bear," pre-customized in drag to honor popular drag-themed reality show "RuPaul’s Drag Race." The bear is listed at $56 and could come as part of a gift set for $8 more, which included some "Online Exclusive Gold Strap Heels" to put on the bear. The product has sparked controversy as it is being advertised on the main page of Build-A-Bear’s child-friendly online store, though it is located online in the store’s "Bear Cave," an adult-centric section – and not in the physical store.