What a great idea - pick and customise your stuffed animal - and turn the experience into a trip to a store where up - selling is an intrinsic gentle part of a process. Combine this with doting parents and adults who won't say no to the wide eyed cherubs in front of them, bamboozled by myriad choices amid a world of colour, flashing lights and loud background noise (designed to make you spend without thinking or discussion) with giant fluff stuffing contraptions gently silently paddling the fluff stuff clockwise. This idyll includes an invite to please pick your heart (inserted in the rear end) and then would you like your new 'baby' to have a voice box (starting at £4) do you want a box to take your 'baby' home (extra charge) or an over the shoulder back-pack to carry your 'baby' instead (an even greater extra charge). Then there's all the extras like clothing, birthday cakes, footwear - I mean the range of stuff is huge and undoubtedly growing - bit like our still expanding universe of trillions of galaxies. We are but a speck in the great milieu. I loved it. They even provide computer generated birth certificates with sales and year on year later will despatch an email announcing baby's birthday. We got two of these stuffed toys and we could even choose how much stuffing went in from a floppy to a stiff rigid production. The toy stuffer easily threaded each toy closed once the chosen filling was inserted y deftly twisting the already hanging threads. We got an Olaf from Frozen (I was impressed with the Harry Potter selection) and a bear. So when our cherub was confronted with a voice box choice and as he had picked a bear he innocently asked the server for a bear voice box. This made complete sense to us alleged adults but guess what BAB don't make bear sounding voice boxes. I could feel a monty python sketch coming on so I was in full alert for the Spanish Inquisition but we were safe. Meanwhile in the real world junior was beguiled into settling for a monkey voice by an embarrassed bear stuffer. Imagine BAB don't do bear sounds. Imagine burger-king without the burger! Then we got to the end and paid, and guess what as our spend was in the three figures there was a 'great' discount if we wanted to spend still more hard earned. Grandma couldn't resist. So off she went again little darlings in tow in search of still more made in China stuff...... Imagine getting to the till in a restaurant to pay to find here's a coupon for discount if you go back and eat some more. Yeesh. I see trees of green, red roses too, I see them bloom for me and you and I think to myself what a wonderful world. read more

Build A Bear - Toy Stores Near Me - Manchester, XGM

Until recently I didn't see the fascination with Teddy Bears, I used to call them "dust traps". Even as a little girl I didn't have a favourite; dolls had personalities, bears had fur. I used to walk past Build A Bear and think what a nightmare! Cheesy staff dressed in the ugliest uniforms I have ever seen ( pale blue baggy shirts TUCKED INTO tight beige chinos, and they all had ample arses) periodically burst into song as though they had involuntary singing tourettes. Wild- eyed children ran around, seemingly without any form of supervision and I walked on by, shuddering. The thing is unfortunately, my teddy disdain is not hereditary. Mini-me adores them, covers the bed with them, just cannot get enough of her furry friends, and when it came to party time, where did she want to host her celebration? Yeah, you got it! Build A Bear Workshop. Dedicated Mum that I am, I steeled myself and crossed the shop's threshold expecting to be violently allergic to the mass of synthetic fibres. I was totally shocked- it was amazing. Children ( or adults) choose which Teddy fur they want and the staff let them put in the stuffing from a rotating, popcorn like machine. Here comes the sweet part, the children choose a little material heart to put inside their bears because everything has a heart ( tell that to the Tin Man in The Wizard of Oz). Then they "wash" the bears, recite the store's mantra ( sort of like taking an oath to look after the bears) and make a Birth Certificate for them. The staff are great with children, very patient and full of enthusiasm; I guess you have to be a little cheesy when dealing with hoardes of excited rugrats. Okay I know what you are all thinking- this is all very good in a childlike way but are you perplexed why I love this place so much? Well it has something to do with the clothes. Yes it is official, I love teddy clothes. Build A Bear sells skinny teddy jeans, sparkly teddy crop tops and hello Kitty slippers. They have little teddy biker jackets, teddy stilettos,teddy shirt and ties and teddy ball gowns. The accessories are amazing too, this is like retail therapy but miniaturised. Whatever you buy for yourself, you can buy for your teddy bear. I love it! Prices vary and this can be an expensive do but its up to you how little or how much you want the experience to cost you. The cheapest bear is £9 and the price increase to £18 for a character bear. This is an interactive teddy world where children are educated on the toy making process, and because they are allowed to personalise their creations this inspires them to love and respect what they produce. These bears will not be casually thrown on the floor or forgotten. read more

Build A Bear - Toy Stores Near Me - Manchester, XGM

Who wouldn't want to make there very own teddy bear from scratch??! Well, anyone who's grown out of childhood I guess, and luckily that's not me! When you walk into the wondrous shop you are always greeted by friendly staff as would be imagined with the amount of young kids they have to deal with. They have a big selection of teddy bears ready for you to make your own. Unfortunately I have to say, I haven't actually put my touch to one yet...but when you do, you can fill your bear with foam, give him a big heart, little heart or any size heart you desire, name him, get his own birth certificate and even give him a little teddy bear voice, how good is that!! The staff even make the kids do little tasks in order for there bear to be finished being built. One day I'll get one, maybe without the tasks and maybe with a little embarrassment in my cheeks, but one day...maybe. read more

I can't be the only person who finds this shop intensely creepy - it's encouraging children to become miniature versions of Doctor Frankenstein; constructing their perfect creation from bins filled with body parts. Just because it's done up in primary colours doesn't make it any less macabre (it just makes it more so, if anything). Sure, there are guides of how to make different kinds of bears with different outfits (footballer, doctor, policeman) but what if some twisted girl decides to ignore these suggestions and decides to build a monster and she takes it home and gets bored of it and she forgets to even name it. Then the monster gets out of control and stalks the girl and her family, letting out a pained screech as it follows them. It just wanted a name - why wouldn't you give it a name? Why? Doesn't bear thinking about really. read more

Some people think that this place is only for kids, but they could be wrong, because i think this place can be a really gesture for a gift to your girlfriend or anyone special for that matter! It lets you make you're onw teddy bear, like your own pet with complete freedom of choice right from what's in it and what's on the outside! I was got here on my 18th! Yes, begining to adulthood couldn't have been cockier! Anyway so you can easily spend more than an hour here alone! - Select your animal - Stuff with yourself - Select it's clothes. The choices are unlimited! Fron pretty frocks to trendy tee's to even skinny jeans! You can go crazy! (You actually prety much get into this groove by now!) - Accessorize your new member! Here as well you can make anything! If you want a rockstar go for the gigantic mic and glares. If you're looking miss posh choose the extravagant heels. They even have cute sneakers and also purses! - Finally after all are done playing dress up, you can christen your lil person and get a printed bith certificate for it! It's all really cute and lovely, except the price tag is quite a bit. And to think of it, around £40 for a bear when you can have lovely Kurt geiger bag or something, does make you an inch uncomfy in your shoes. But then you remember the joys and the time you spent with the someone special and you think it really is worth it! After all its the thought that counts and makes things good or bad! read more

This shop is wonderful. You can chose everything to createt you perfect bear from the colour, size, stuffing and even give it a heart and a voice. They have funky outfits too! read more

My daughter loves this shop, I often take her here aroun her birthday time, to make a special bear just for the occasion! so far she has made a princess bear, a doctor bear and a ballerina! the outfits are so so cute and its a really easy thing to do, you just go round the shop section by section and build your own unique bear! i would say its actually a great idea for a little girls birthday party too! choose a quiet time and let the kids make their own bear!! brilliant. read more

Build a bear is located in the Trafford Centre (lower tier) and enables you to create your own soft toy. You choose your bear or other animal, and then personalise it. It is stuffed and a heart is put inside. You can choose if you want a firm or cuddly bear. The staff were quite good, as they asked my daughter to kiss the heart and make a wish before they put it inside. If you wanted to you can also add a voice and record your message; the device is then put inside. The toy is then sewed up quickly and you can choose clothes for your toys. These range from shoes to pretty dresses and even a Manchester United kit. Although I think the bears are quite good value - you can get one around the £10 mark, the accessories are quite expensive. An outfit including shoes can quite easily come to £15. You can even give you bear a birth certificate, adding a name at this stage. The bear is presented in a lovely carry home box. The staff were really helpful, but I believe it can get really busy at Christmas and week-ends. We went one evening as they are open untl 10pm, although they accept the last bear 15 minutes before closing. Going at this time meant we didn't have to wait at all. read more