Build-A-Bear Workshop (Website) opened its largest location in the world Thursday at ICON Park (Website. The three-story Workshop is the brand’s most ambitious location, measuring in at more than 30,000 SF.
Visitors pick a plush animal base, stuff it, dress it, and finish with a special “Heart Ceremony.” Add-ons include a scent bar, a “Hear Me” station for recording a voice message sewn inside the bear, and a “Personalize Me” station for custom embroidery on shirts and hoodies, plus patches, screen prints and embroidered ears on select animals.
The Orlando Workshop also introduces experiences new to the brand, including a Design Studio, an appointment-only service where guests work one-on-one with a design consultant to build a custom bear, choosing the animal style, fur type and shade, eye color and paw design. Digital tools preview the design before a seamstress builds it. The Design Studio costs about $150, and pickup takes 30 to 40 minutes after the design session.
There’s also The Bakeshop, an interactive dessert space where guests decorate their own cupcakes and cookies. It opens onto an upper-level Celebration Terrace with a view of the Orlando Eye.
The Workshop also includes three specialty shops: a Pokémon Workshop, the brand’s first with the franchise; a Hello Kitty and Friends Workshop, with plush sold exclusively at this location; and Promise Pets, an adoption-style experience for younger visitors. The main floor carries Star Wars, Harry Potter, How to Train Your Dragon, and Toy Story merchandise.
Design Studio appointments and more information are available at buildabear.com/ICONPark.
The first ten people in line received a voucher for a free “furry friend” each month for the next twelve months. The next 100 guests in line received a $30 discount voucher. There was a line around the block for the opening.
