Most people know Build-A-Bear Workshop as a toy store where shoppers create customized stuffed animals. But the brand stretches further than its physical locations, according to Sharon Price John, president and CEO of Build-A-Bear.

At the Brandweek conference in Atlanta, John outlined how the brand has expanded its revenue beyond physical retail sales.

A major part of the plan to diversify revenue has been to widen Build-A-Bear’s audience beyond kids. Teenagers and adults now make up 40% of the company’s sales, doubling over the past six to seven years.

“We figured out that the brand was a lot more stretchable than had been preconceived,” John said. “Our biggest opportunity was to elevate out of the place, and recognize that the brand is more than the workshop.”

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