I'm giving it 1 star because I am
Not allowed to give it "0" otherwise I would.
I had a very disappointing experience at Build-A-Bear at the Chicago Premium Outlets.
The customer service was absolutely horrible. It honestly felt like the employees did not want to be there at all. One employee was more focused on scrolling through her phone than helping customers, while the other--who was assisting us--had a very rude, rushed, and dismissive attitude.
This visit was supposed to be special. My son wanted to gift his niece her very first teddy bear for her first birthday, complete with a voice recording. Instead of making it fun or memorable, the process felt rushed and uncomfortable. The employee assisting us (named Genesis) barely spoke to my son at all while filling the bear. When she handed him the teddy to feel how soft it was, he pressed the paw to hear the recording. She abruptly stopped him and said, "We are checking for softness right now, not the voice." That completely took the joy out of the moment.
To make matters worse:
* My son was not allowed to dress the bear himself, which is a huge part of the Build-A-Bear experience.
* At checkout, I was not offered a bag or a box--I had to ask.
* When I asked for the box, I was charged $1.05 and told I could only pay with a card because they "didn't have change."
* The box should have been offered during the initial transaction instead of being handled so abruptly afterward.
* As soon as the transaction was done, the employee went right back to scrolling on her phone.
I am paying for an experience--not just a stuffed animal--and this location completely failed to deliver that. It's disappointing to see such poor customer service, especially at a store that's meant to create special memories for children.
I also just realized that didn't even give us a birth certificate for the Teddy- I'm so disappointed.
I would not recommend this location unless management seriously addresses staff attitude, engagement, and basic customer service expectations. read more