Bear Essentials Competitors

We're the company with #TheStuffYouLove! Founded in St. Louis in 1997, Build-A-Bear Workshop is a trusted, beloved brand that has been part of countless life moments for nearly 30 years. We operate approximately 650 stores worldwide —including company-owned stores in the United States, Canada, Ireland, Paris, Milan, Colombia, and the United Kingdom and franchise stores in Africa, Asia, Australia, Europe, Mexico, the Middle East and China — where Guests can make and customize furry friends. The Build-A-Bear Workshop experience is an expression of our commitment to redefine retail and entertainment. Our concept is designed to bring out the creative side of our Guests to spark their imagination. We challenge every associate to contribute wherever possible to our culture, our communities and our business success. Regardless of role, Build-A-Bear associates keep our core values at the heart of everything they do. We cultivate a culture that truly begins with heart. From the passion our associates bring to work each day to our iconic heart ceremony, we deliver the Build-A-Bear spirit and one-of-a-kind experiences to our Guests – one furry friend at a time. It’s one of the reasons Build-A-Bear Workshop has been recognized time and time again as a sought-after employer: • Great Place to Work® and FORTUNE’s 100 Best Companies to Work For® list: 2018, 2017, 2016, 2015, 2014, 2013, 2012, 2011, 2010 and 2009 • Great Place to Work® and FORTUNE’s Best Workplaces in Retail list: 2017, 2016, 2015 and 2014 • Great Place to Work® and FORTUNE’s Best Workplaces for Women list: 2017, 2016 and 2015 • Great Place to Work® and FORTUNE’s Best Workplaces for Millennials list: 2017, 2016 and 2015 • Great Place to Work® and FORTUNE’s Best Workplaces for Diversity list: 2017, 2016 and 2015 • The Sunday Times 100 Best Companies to Work For list: 2017 and 2016 • 2-Star Accreditation by Best Companies for our ‘outstanding’ workplace engagement standards and commitment

In 1981, John Sortino was playing with his son Graham and his collection of teddy bears. Surprised to see that every one of his son’s bears was foreign made, Sortino was inspired to bring this American tradition back to its roots. Sortino handcrafted his first bears in his wife’s sewing room and by 1983, he began to sell his bears from a peddler’s cart at an open-air market in Burlington, VT. It took a year to sell through his first 200 bears. One day, a tourist visiting Burlington asked for a bear to be mailed to her home. This gave Sortino the idea to package a teddy bear and add delivery service. The Bear-Gram® concept was born. Shortly before Valentine’s Day in 1990, the Company took this concept to NYC. Advertisements featuring well-known local radio personalities endorsing Bear-Gram gifts were placed on Z-100. Calls flooded the Company’s three telephone lines and within the first two days, the Company reached its sales goal for the entire year! In 1992 Inc. Magazine recognized The Vermont Teddy Bear Co. as the 80th fastest growing private Company in the US. By 1993 the Company ranked 58th. In 1995, The Company moved into its new, 60,000 square foot home situated on 57 acres in Vermont’s picturesque Champlain Valley. Today, more than 150,000 people a year visit the Vermont Teddy Bear Co. to find out how teddy bears are made. The Company now handcrafts more than 150,000 Bears for its Bear-Gram gift delivery service and employs 162 year round staff.

Margarete Steiff was born on July 24th, 1847 in Giengen an der Brenz. At only 18 months old Margarete contracted polio and was to spend the rest of her life in a wheelchair. Despite her tremendous physical discomfort and difficulties this courageous lady did not allow her hardship to distract her. Margarete attended a dressmaking school and by the age of 17 she completed her training as a skilled seamstress. In 1880, she made a little felt pincushion in the form of a delightful elephant. The elephant enchanted her family who encouraged her to make these not as functional pincushions, but as children’s TOYS! The popularity of these little elephant soft toys soon spread rapidly. Never had children had soft playmates. Most toys were made of tinplate, wood and even porcelain. In 1880, she opened her own Felt Toy Company, Margarete Steiff GmbH was founded and so began the story of Steiff toys. The company motto, which is still used today, was established: “For Children, only the best is good enough”. Many other wonderful animals joined the little elephant. To distinguish the Steiff products and to identify them as outstanding quality the now famous Trademark “Button-in-ear” was launched in 1904, invented by her nephew Franz Steiff. About Margarete Steiff GmbH We work daily with the pursuit that "for children only the best is good enough". This mission state is the core of our company values. We are committed to deliver highest quality standards in all our products in the plush and children’s fashion sector. Based on our own developed standards and expectations, we test and inspect each product with great care to guarantee not only joy for children but also their health and safety, which is paramount. With more than 20.000 active Club members, Steiff products do not only light up children's eyes - they also find admiration among adults. Impressum: Margarete Steiff GmbH Richard-Steiff-Straße 4 D-89537 Giengen/Brenz E-Mail: info@steiff.de Tel. +49 (0)7322 131 1