This was my first time experiencing Build a Bear. Very animated friendly greeting from the staff and a full explanation of how it works. Lots of options from bears, characters that are well known from shows, the good old character from the past, and new ones I have never seen. The stuffed animal is a shell, you pick which one you want, then the staff member beings it over to a stiffing machine where you get to interact a bit with hands on for a minute or less. Then the staff member has you out a heart into your stuffed animal. You can upgrade to smells being out inside, voice sounds, and the outfit options you can buy are very impressive, there are so many. All in all a good time. The best part is that on the child's birthday they only pay their age for the bear. Great deal! Recommend for a fun experience. read more

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I love this concept & its so much fun for kids & adults. With COVID they limit the amount of people in the store at a time so the line to get in can be quite long. We went around when the mall opened & after about 30 mins there was a huge line. Giant wall with all different animals & characters to choose from. Keep in mind that something you may see online may not be available at the store. I would suggest not getting your kids hope up about getting a certain "bear" prior to going just in case they are out of stock. Also with COVID also has made staffing tight so be patient & kind. Have something to entrain your child with for while you are in line. They don't let you step on the pedal anymore to put the fluff in your animal which was disappointing but they do still have you put the heart in. You can add sounds or scents for an extra cost. There used to be a "washing" station available for you to bring your animal to after but it is closed due to COVID. Tons of different outfits that range in price if you want to add that. You can still make a birth certificate if you would like. Unfortunately now if you want the little cardboard house that used to be included it now cost extra, you can buy a drawstring bag that range in price or have them in nothing. Staff is always nice here but giving it 4 stars because I think the price is a little high & some of the things you can't do anymore makes it less of an experience. Maybe lower the cost since you can't do everything that you normally could. read more

Build-A-Bear Workshop - So excited to build her "bear" - Toy Stores Near Me - Victor, New York

We had our son's 7th birthday party at Build-A-Bear in Eastview. Since there wasn't much information about their parties available, though I'd describe what it's like. You basically set a price limit for the kids and they get to pick bears and accoutrements that fit that budget. The staff escorts the kids through the process of selecting and stuffing their bears, plays some games, and then leads a cute little "ceremony" where each kid puts their birthday wish on a paper heart and they're all added to a plush heart that goes inside the birthday kid's bear. I was a little worried about a few things, all of which turned out to be no big deal. 1) I was worried that kids would whine about the price limit. This fear was unfounded -- our party staff, Cody and Mary, were terrific about guiding the kids to the right items. The kids actually seemed to enjoy their shopping trip and working within their budget. We chose one of the middle price tiers, so they had some wiggle room for shirts and shoes and whatnot. I'd suggest picking the "Make-your-own Party Package" and just telling the team when you get there how much you want to spend. 2) I was worried because the store didn't have a party room. Also unfounded -- there's a large-ish area in the back of the store where the kids hung out. While the store was a little warm and there were lots of other shoppers, it still felt like we basically had our own space. 3) I was worried because they don't allow food. No problem -- Eastview customer service confirmed that we could have cake in the food court, and candles were ok. Worked out great, and we bought the kids a round of carousel rides as well. Overall, this turned out to be an excellent venue to celebrate a kid who really likes stuffed animals. His friends all seemed to have fun and the staff was super helpful. We even came in under budget because the most popular bear happened to be on sale. read more

Visited here on a Wednesday shortly after they opened to avoid crowds. It was my daughters first visit and we came specifically for the birthday deal (pay their age). I was bummed that we couldn't pay an upgrade fee to pick out a different animal but that is more for the company, not this store. Both employees were friendly and patient with a 3 year old who had no idea what to expect. They didn't really walk us through the rest of the store like the bath, clothes, naming or anything however I did remember all that from when I was a kid so I could walk her thru that myself. I know some parents have no option but to go on the weekend but if you can try to go during the week when you can get in and out without issues or wait time. read more

Visited Build a Bear today and was not disappointed! My fiancé and I have been coming here for at least 7 years! Yes there are times it can get "crowded" (to say the least) and is not for one on a tight budget, but the experience is amazing. The bear-builders are always polite and seem genuinely excited to be there. And even though Laurie is always super busy doing something, she takes the time to say "hi", and ask us if we need help with anything. I am sure we will be repeat customers for years to come. read more

Overall, this is a great business and this location is just as good as any location. The employees are all fantastic and enthusiastic and well-suited to work with kids. The only downside to this business is on the corporate side...mainly the pricing. There are a few decently-priced bears you can choose, but overall the prices are a little outrageous. I get that it's a whole experience, etc. but it's not like the kids are getting to stuff it themselves or anything. If the accessories were even remotely affordable it might be different, but the accessories seem to be marked up 300% more than they're worth. It's a great treat for a kid for a very special occasion, but other than that it's a very expensive outing. It's really cute, though, and the kids are always really happy afterward. The quality of the animals is typically very good, too. read more

Very disappointed in the lack of "happy". Took our toddler for the first time & we got attitudes from 2/3 of employees that they could have cared less. Hmmm sorry to inconvenience you. I hope you don't get treated like you treated us. It really doesn't take that much- for Pete's sake you have a teddy bear in backpack on your person.... ‍Smile. read more

A really fun place for children. On the pricier side but the experience makes it worth it! I would recommend avoiding school holidays - the line can be really long as they are so popular; the wait can be hard for little kids! read more

My husband and I were out doing some late evening shopping recently when we passed by the Eastview store and I saw Cookie Monster (a favorite from my childhood.) It was a little after 9 PM and I knew the store closed at 930. The associate named Becky was there alone and could easily have been dismissive or frustrated that we were in the store so late, but she wasn't. Instead, Becky was delightful. She was super helpful, personable and went the extra mile to help re-stitch and stuff the Cookie Monster on display for me (I liked his face.) She took her time, never rushed us and was just kind. I work in a specialty boutique and know how important customer service is and how often the only feedback submitted is negative. I wanted to take the time to make sure that Becky (and her managers!) are aware of what an asset she is to their team. Thank you Becky and Build-A-Bear! read more

Great place for a no-fuss birthday party for your little ones. We had a joint party for my 3 year old and 7 year old and it was wonderful. There were 7 children in our party of various ages and the employee running our party did a great job of entertaining everyone. There were 3 levels of birthday packages available and we chose the middle priced one, which was $23 a child. That included a stuffed animal plus an article of clothing for the animal. I thought it was a great deal because some of the outfit choices were $18 alone. The kids had a fun time and I'll recommended parties here to everyone. The staff did a good job as well! read more

I am so impressed with the staff at this Build-A-Bear! Every time we go in they are always so nice and willing to accommodate anything we need. Most recently the sound button in my daughter's pony stopped working. They replaced it at no charge and then offered her little hair bows for her pony also at no charge. She was really excited! We will definitely be back! read more

The past 3 "bears" we got from there all the stitching has broke within 2 months. I stitched up her first puppy myself since I had the supplies at home, but this week I sent my husband to the store with our daughters unicorn (which is her go-to toy this past week) to get it fixed since we're packed up to move and when he shows up with it they throw the toy on the counter and say it will be an hour and when he gets back an hour later the women who said that is texting behind the desk says 'oh sorry I forgot' and finds someone to do it. It was poorly done so I would have rather just done it myself. Not worth the time. If you're going to spend the money on a toy to last I'd look elsewhere. read more

I never write Yelp reviews but I have been waiting to get my daughter's bear filled for way too long and have nothing else to do but complain. There is a also a HUGE line behind me and only one filler of bears. We had a 2nd one but she disappeared about half an hour ago. Everyone is grumbling and it seems ridiculous that A) they can't have more staff doing this task during busy times (like the weekend) and B) cannot speed up the process. read more