Build-A-Bear Workshop Appoints Chris Hurt as CEO
Written by Emily J. Thompson, Senior Investment Analyst
Updated: Jun 12 2026
0mins
Build-A-Bear Workshop announced that Chris Hurt has assumed the role of CEO, effective June 11. The transition follows the planned succession of Sharon Price John, who led the company for 13 years and will remain on the Board of Directors.
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Analyst Views on BBW
Wall Street analysts forecast BBW stock price to rise
2 Analyst Rating
2 Buy
0 Hold
0 Sell
Moderate Buy
Current: 31.600
Low
70.00
Averages
70.00
High
70.00
Current: 31.600
Low
70.00
Averages
70.00
High
70.00
About BBW
Build-A-Bear Workshop, Inc. is an experiential specialty retailer. It creates its own stuffed animals by participating in the stuffing, dressing, accessorizing, and naming of its own teddy bears and other plush toys based on the Company’s own intellectual property and in conjunction with a variety of licenses. Its segments include direct-to-consumer (DTC), commercial, and international franchising. Its DTC segment includes the operating activities of corporately managed stores, other retail-delivered operations and online sales. Its commercial segment includes transactions with other businesses and comprises wholesale sales of merchandise, supplies and fixtures, licensing the Company’s intellectual properties for third-party use, and entertainment activities. Its international franchising segment includes the activities of franchisees who operate store locations in certain countries and includes development fees, sales-based royalties, merchandise, supplies and fixture sales.
About the author
Emily J. Thompson
Emily J. Thompson, a Chartered Financial Analyst (CFA) with 12 years in investment research, graduated with honors from the Wharton School. Specializing in industrial and technology stocks, she provides in-depth analysis for Intellectia’s earnings and market brief reports.
Build-A-Bear Launches Summer Mystery Offers
- Summer Promotions: Build-A-Bear kicks off its summer campaign with the “Feeling the Squeeze” promotion on June 17, offering $15 Make-Your-Own furry friends, aimed at attracting families and creating memorable summer experiences.
- Mystery Offer Strategy: The brand plans to unveil a series of mystery offers throughout June and July, revealing new deals weekly to build anticipation, thereby increasing both in-store and online shopping participation.
- Social Media Engagement: Customers can follow Build-A-Bear on TikTok, Instagram, and Facebook to stay updated on the latest offers, enhancing interaction and loyalty between the brand and consumers.
- Strong Financial Performance: Build-A-Bear reported total revenues of $529.8 million for fiscal 2025, marking the fifth consecutive year of record results, indicating robust growth in the retail market and sustained consumer demand.
See More
Build-A-Bear Launches Summer Mystery Promotions
- Summer Promotions: Build-A-Bear kicks off its summer campaign with the 'Feeling the Squeeze' promotion on June 17, offering $15 Make-Your-Own furry friends, aimed at attracting families and enhancing brand experience, which is expected to boost sales and customer loyalty.
- Mystery Offer Strategy: The brand will unveil weekly mystery offers a few days in advance via social media, increasing customer anticipation and driving foot traffic and online purchases, thereby enhancing its competitive position in the market.
- Brand Growth History: Founded in 1997, Build-A-Bear operates over 650 locations across more than 30 countries, reporting total revenues of $529.8 million for fiscal 2025, marking the company's fifth consecutive year of record results, showcasing its strong market appeal.
- Customer Engagement Enhancement: By encouraging customers to follow social media platforms and join the Build-A-Bear Bonus Club, the brand not only enhances customer interaction but also improves customer satisfaction and loyalty through unique personalized experiences.
See More
Build-A-Bear Announces Leadership Updates to Drive Business Evolution
- CEO Transition: Chris Hurt will assume the role of CEO at Build-A-Bear effective June 11, 2026, succeeding Sharon Price John, who led the company for 13 years and will remain on the Board, ensuring a smooth leadership transition and continued business evolution.
- Executive Structure Update: Voin Todorovic has been appointed Chief Administrative Officer in addition to his role as CFO, expanding his responsibilities to include enterprise-wide administrative oversight, aimed at enhancing overall operational efficiency and management capabilities.
- Growth Strategy Enhancement: Dave Henderson has been named Chief Growth Officer, focusing on driving long-term global growth and revenue diversification, reflecting the company's commitment to future market expansion and the achievement of strategic objectives.
- Commitment to Innovation: Hurt emphasized the ongoing efforts to advance innovation and customer experience, leveraging the company's strong brand and global team to ensure Build-A-Bear's unique position and long-term success in the retail market.
See More
Build-A-Bear Completes CEO Transition
- CEO Transition: Build-A-Bear Workshop has officially announced Chris Hurt as the new CEO, succeeding Sharon Price John, who successfully turned the company around over 13 years; while stepping down, she will remain on the board to ensure strategic continuity.
- Executive Team Expansion: Concurrent with the CEO transition, Build-A-Bear has expanded the responsibilities of its existing executive leadership team to accelerate multi-channel growth and improve operational efficiency, with the current CFO also taking on the role of Chief Administrative Officer, highlighting the company's emphasis on executive capabilities.
- Growth Strategy Adjustment: Henderson has been promoted from Chief Revenue Officer to Chief Growth Officer, indicating that the company is actively adjusting its strategy to drive business growth, particularly in multi-channel sales, in response to market challenges.
- Financial Target Setting: Build-A-Bear aims for $530 million to $550 million in revenue and $72 million to $78 million in pretax income, demonstrating confidence in future performance despite facing inflationary pressures.
See More
Build-A-Bear Workshop Q1 2026 Earnings Call Insights
- Leadership Transition: Build-A-Bear's CEO Sharon John will step down on June 11, yet she will remain engaged as a board member, ensuring continuity in leadership and providing stability for the company's future development.
- Weak Sales Performance: Q1 total revenue was $125.3 million, falling short of expectations primarily due to a 7% decline in domestic traffic and a 26.1% drop in e-commerce demand, indicating the company's vulnerability amid macroeconomic shifts that could impact future market share.
- Commercial Growth Highlights: Despite retail sales pressure, the commercial segment saw a 34% increase in sales, partially offsetting retail declines, showcasing the company's success in diversifying revenue streams, particularly driven by new product launches and nostalgia-driven collections.
- Adjusted Financial Outlook: The company lowered its full-year revenue guidance to a range of $530 million to $550 million while raising pretax income guidance to $72 million to $78 million, reflecting cautious optimism about future profitability despite facing an uncertain market environment.
See More
Build-A-Bear (BBW) Q1 2026 Earnings Transcript
See More
Build-A-Bear Launches Summer Mystery Offers
- Summer Promotions: Build-A-Bear kicks off its summer campaign with the “Feeling the Squeeze” promotion on June 17, offering $15 Make-Your-Own furry friends, aimed at attracting families and creating memorable summer experiences.
- Mystery Offer Strategy: The brand plans to unveil a series of mystery offers throughout June and July, revealing new deals weekly to build anticipation, thereby increasing both in-store and online shopping participation.
- Social Media Engagement: Customers can follow Build-A-Bear on TikTok, Instagram, and Facebook to stay updated on the latest offers, enhancing interaction and loyalty between the brand and consumers.
- Strong Financial Performance: Build-A-Bear reported total revenues of $529.8 million for fiscal 2025, marking the fifth consecutive year of record results, indicating robust growth in the retail market and sustained consumer demand.
See More
Build-A-Bear Launches Summer Mystery Promotions
- Summer Promotions: Build-A-Bear kicks off its summer campaign with the 'Feeling the Squeeze' promotion on June 17, offering $15 Make-Your-Own furry friends, aimed at attracting families and enhancing brand experience, which is expected to boost sales and customer loyalty.
- Mystery Offer Strategy: The brand will unveil weekly mystery offers a few days in advance via social media, increasing customer anticipation and driving foot traffic and online purchases, thereby enhancing its competitive position in the market.
- Brand Growth History: Founded in 1997, Build-A-Bear operates over 650 locations across more than 30 countries, reporting total revenues of $529.8 million for fiscal 2025, marking the company's fifth consecutive year of record results, showcasing its strong market appeal.
- Customer Engagement Enhancement: By encouraging customers to follow social media platforms and join the Build-A-Bear Bonus Club, the brand not only enhances customer interaction but also improves customer satisfaction and loyalty through unique personalized experiences.
See More
Build-A-Bear Announces Leadership Updates to Drive Business Evolution
- CEO Transition: Chris Hurt will assume the role of CEO at Build-A-Bear effective June 11, 2026, succeeding Sharon Price John, who led the company for 13 years and will remain on the Board, ensuring a smooth leadership transition and continued business evolution.
- Executive Structure Update: Voin Todorovic has been appointed Chief Administrative Officer in addition to his role as CFO, expanding his responsibilities to include enterprise-wide administrative oversight, aimed at enhancing overall operational efficiency and management capabilities.
- Growth Strategy Enhancement: Dave Henderson has been named Chief Growth Officer, focusing on driving long-term global growth and revenue diversification, reflecting the company's commitment to future market expansion and the achievement of strategic objectives.
- Commitment to Innovation: Hurt emphasized the ongoing efforts to advance innovation and customer experience, leveraging the company's strong brand and global team to ensure Build-A-Bear's unique position and long-term success in the retail market.
See More
Build-A-Bear Completes CEO Transition
- CEO Transition: Build-A-Bear Workshop has officially announced Chris Hurt as the new CEO, succeeding Sharon Price John, who successfully turned the company around over 13 years; while stepping down, she will remain on the board to ensure strategic continuity.
- Executive Team Expansion: Concurrent with the CEO transition, Build-A-Bear has expanded the responsibilities of its existing executive leadership team to accelerate multi-channel growth and improve operational efficiency, with the current CFO also taking on the role of Chief Administrative Officer, highlighting the company's emphasis on executive capabilities.
- Growth Strategy Adjustment: Henderson has been promoted from Chief Revenue Officer to Chief Growth Officer, indicating that the company is actively adjusting its strategy to drive business growth, particularly in multi-channel sales, in response to market challenges.
- Financial Target Setting: Build-A-Bear aims for $530 million to $550 million in revenue and $72 million to $78 million in pretax income, demonstrating confidence in future performance despite facing inflationary pressures.
See More
Build-A-Bear Workshop Q1 2026 Earnings Call Insights
- Leadership Transition: Build-A-Bear's CEO Sharon John will step down on June 11, yet she will remain engaged as a board member, ensuring continuity in leadership and providing stability for the company's future development.
- Weak Sales Performance: Q1 total revenue was $125.3 million, falling short of expectations primarily due to a 7% decline in domestic traffic and a 26.1% drop in e-commerce demand, indicating the company's vulnerability amid macroeconomic shifts that could impact future market share.
- Commercial Growth Highlights: Despite retail sales pressure, the commercial segment saw a 34% increase in sales, partially offsetting retail declines, showcasing the company's success in diversifying revenue streams, particularly driven by new product launches and nostalgia-driven collections.
- Adjusted Financial Outlook: The company lowered its full-year revenue guidance to a range of $530 million to $550 million while raising pretax income guidance to $72 million to $78 million, reflecting cautious optimism about future profitability despite facing an uncertain market environment.
See More
Build-A-Bear (BBW) Q1 2026 Earnings Transcript
See More
