A store for children to bear in mind

Noaki Schwartz

FASHION ISLAND -- As a child, Maxine Clark lost her teddy bear when

her father took it away because he thought it was time she grew up.

And now that she has grown up, she’s making sure every kid has the

opportunity to hold on to that magical, make-believe part of their

childhood by making their own personalized teddy bears at her

Build-A-Bear Workshop.

The first store opened three years ago in St. Louis and became so

wildly popular that there are plans to open one store each week until the

end of this year.

Fashion Island will become home to the second store with a grand

opening today.

The chain of retail stores allows guests to make their own stuffed

animals at colorful stations scattered throughout the shop.

“Guest Bear Builders” choose between a variety of unstuffed bears,

cats, shaggy dogs and frogs.

The cost of a basic bear without frills is $10 and prices increase

depending on the accessories and type of animal chosen.

“It’s an interactive, touchy-feely experience,” said spokeswoman Kate

DeMay. “It takes about 15, 20 minutes, but you can linger as long as you

want over the clothes.”

From there, patrons follow a circuit that takes them from a station to

pick a heart, have the bear stuffed, pick a name, give the animal an air

bath and choose an outfit.

The bear wear boutique features everything from jumpers and sweaters

to tuxedos and cheerleader outfits.

At the checkout, patrons get a personalized storybook that doubles as

a playhouse, otherwise known as a Cub Condo.

The purchase also includes enrollment in a Find-A-Bear program which,

if a stuffed animal is misplaced, can link it back to its owner. This

way, a child can hold out for recovery and hold on to staying a kid.