No one will pay their age this year at Build-A-Bear Workshop

An in-store event that drew big crowds to Build-A-Bear Workshop is the latest retail casualty of the pandemic. 

The retailer announced it is canceling its annual "Pay Your Age Day" event, due to challenges stemming from the coronavirus pandemic.  The event was so popular its first year out—with long lines extending outside of malls in some locations—that the company ended the promotion much earlier in the day than expected. (The event allowed customers to pay their age to make a stuffed animal of their choice.)

Instead of the event, Build-A-Bear will host its first “No Line, On-Line Bear Building Sale” on August 12. Beginning at 10 a.m. CST on Aug. 12, shoppers can buy a stuffed animal for as little as $4, exclusively on the retailer’s website. Shoppers can purchase up to two animals included in the sale and “choose an outfit, accessorize and name their furry friend as well as make a wish on the heart – replicating the beloved in-store experience,” the company said. The event is open to members of Build-a-Bear’s Bonus rewards club, which is free to join.

“Although our Workshops around the world have new safety protocols in place and are open for Guests to visit, in the past, the "Pay Your Age Day" event has been so popular that it created lines and crowds, which didn't feel right at this time," said president and CEO, Sharon Price John. "Instead, we want our Guests to enjoy and participate in the "No Line, On-Line Bear-Building Sale!" to virtually go through the steps to create a new furry friend from home and receive exceptional savings on popular products."