(NEW YORK) January 30, 2017. Today, Larry Paparo, President of Esquire Footwear, announced that Esquire has been selected as licensee for the inaugural line of Build-A-Bear Workshop footwear products, including slippers, slipper socks and plush.
“We’re incredibly excited to partner with a recognized global brand and children’s entertainment leader. It’s a brand which is loved and trusted by kids and their parents,” Paparo stated. “Kid’s footwear is a new addition to the Build-A-Bear Workshop brand’s unique portfolio. We believe we have all the capabilities to make this creative partnership flourish.”
“With the help of Esquire Footwear, we are excited to introduce a fun new footwear collection—the first of its kind for our brand—this fall,” said Jennifer Kretchmar, chief product officer, Build-A-Bear Workshop. “The reach of the Build-A-Bear brand continues to grow beyond the walls of retail stores, thanks to best-in-class partners like Esquire Footwear and the valuable resources they offer.”
Paparo added, “Esquire Footwear is consummately focused on brand integrity, a quality essential to reflect the standard set for all Build-A-Bear Workshop products. Our design responses must reflect the high bar Build-A-Bear Workshop has established for its entire portfolio of entertainment products.”
Scheduled to be rolled out for fall 2017, Build-A-Bear Workshop footwear will be highlighted in Esquire’s booth 80351 at FN Platform at the Las Vegas Convention Center, February 21-23.
A Build-A-Bear Workshop “store,” featuring a mini stuffer, will be positioned near the front of the exhibit floor. All attendees will be offered a pass that can be presented at the Esquire booth for a Build-A-Bear Workshop enabling them to select a bear, bring it to life and dress it.
Esquire Footwear licenses and manufactures numerous brands for children. It designs, produces and sells footwear for such brands and characters as Disney, TY, Nickelodeon, Build-A-Bear Workshop, Marvel, Hasbro, Mattel, Peppa Pig, Limited Too to name a few. Its products are sold by major retailers and large independents including Wal-Mart, Target, Amazon, Kohl’s, JC Penney, DSW, Hot Topic, Tilly’s, Bed, Bath and Beyond and many others.

About Build-A-Bear

Celebrating 20 years of business in 2017, Build-A-Bear is a global brand kids love and parents trust that seeks to add a little more heart to life. Build-A-Bear Workshop has approximately 400 stores worldwide where Guests can create customizable furry friends, including company-owned stores in the United States, Canada, Denmark, Ireland, Puerto Rico, the United Kingdom and China, and franchise stores in Africa, Asia, Australia, Europe, Mexico and the Middle East. The company was named to the FORTUNE 100 Best Companies to Work For® list for the eighth year in a row in 2016. Build-A-Bear Workshop, Inc. (NYSE:BBW) posted a total revenue of $377.7 million in fiscal 2015. For more information, visit buildabear.com.