Brew Markets The Right Stuff: Build-A-Bear’s CEO & Lululemon's Rebirth of Cool
Dec 12, 2025
Sharon Price John, the President and CEO of Build-A-Bear Workshop, shares insights from her remarkable turnaround of the beloved brand. She discusses transforming Build-A-Bear into a destination experience, expanding into e-commerce for adult customers, and partnering with venues like tourism and hospitality to drive growth. Sharon also reveals exciting plans for an animated series and highlights her foundation's literacy initiatives. Plus, the episode touches on an evolving retail landscape and the ongoing relevance of malls in consumer experiences.
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Turnaround Requires Operational Focus
- Sharon Price John transformed Build-A-Bear by reaffirming fundamentals and focusing on sustained profitable growth.
- She views tariff-driven stock moves as headline-driven noise against strong operational results.
Make Your Brand A Destination
- Build-A-Bear redefined its addressable market to include adults and teens, increasing multi-generational appeal.
- Sharon used data to identify destination stores and expanded into tourism and hospitality venues.
Scale Internationally With Partner Operators
- Use a hybrid partner-operated model to scale internationally in a capital-light way.
- Wait to expand with partners until you demonstrate sustained profitable growth and proven playbooks.