What they do:
Build-A-Bear Workshops, where kids can make their own stuffed Bear.
Inspiration:
Maxine Clark went shopping with a 10 year old girl named Katie who wanted a stuffed toy, but couldn't find one that suited her. So Katie suggested that she and Clark make their own. It was Clark's moment of Inspiration.
About the business:
Clark opened the first Build-A-Bear Workshop in a St. Louis shopping mall. She designed it like a factory, with kids moving through eight stuffed-animal-making stations. They start by choosing a pelt, and move through the line -- stuffing it, stitching it, choosing clothes, and giving it a name and accessories. Recently, Build-A-Bear Workshops had worldwide sales of $360 million.
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