Pulaski Builds-A-Bear

Staff -- Kids Today, 10/16/2006 12:00:00 AM

HIGH POINT — Pulaski Furniture worked with kids, moms and designers to create the Build-A-Bear Workshop youth bedroom collection, which debuts at this week's market here.

Marketgoers can see the product and see the inspiration in the company's showroom in the International Home Furnishings Center, M-330. Pulaski will have a portable bear-building machine, similar to the equipment used in more than 250 Build-A-Bear Workshop stores worldwide.

At 150 SKUs, the collection is one of Pulaski's largest launches. The company has tried to incorporate the brand essence of Build-A-Bear Workshop, a name that, according to the furniture company's research, rivals Disney for brand awareness among kids and moms.

In creating the line, Pulaski worked with author and marketing-to-moms guru Maria Bailey and former "Sesame Street" creative director Craig Yoe to conduct focus groups with children and their parents. It also sponsored an online furniture design contest for youngsters.

Kids were on the initial design team and came up with several ideas that were incorporated into the line. One notable contribution from the youngsters is in the signature chest of drawers — a glass-front drawer designed to display either a seated or reclining Build-A-Bear.

The collection has four groups — a casual girls' group, Pawsitively Yours; a casual boys' group, Beariffic; a formal girls' group, Pawsitively Perfect; and a storage group that complements the other groups.

Pulaski is hitting the middle price points with $499 retails on the beds and cribs. There are coordinating accessories from CBK, and infant and youth bedding from Springs Inds.

The loft bed from the casual girls group Pawsitively Yours in Pulaski's new Build-A-Bear Workshop line has built-in storage and custom-color options on the drawer fronts.

The Asian-made furniture includes cribs and changing units; beds, including loft, bunk and full models; dressers and chests;  mirrors; nightstands; desks and hutches.

Storage options are grouped by general storage, craft storage and wall storage.

The girls' groups can be customized with light or dark pink, green or lavender color panels, and the boys' group with red, blue or green. All of the groups also come with two sets of custom hardware, one of which features a bear face.

A Creativity kit, sold separately for $39, features static-cling borders, bear character wallies (self-adhesive wallpaper cut-outs), stencils, markers, pushpins and more so kids can further personalize their rooms.

Pulaski is expecting big numbers from the launch, which includes juvenile and youth furniture as well as accessories.

"Casa Cristina did $21 million its first year. It's been a huge success for us," said David Corbin, Pulaski's vice president of marketing. "Build-A-Bear Workshop Home will be bigger than that."

Pulaski launched Casa Cristina, its licensed collection with Latin media star Cristina Saralegui, in October 2004.

Build-A-Bear Workshop retail gallery programs will encompass about 500 square feet, Corbin said. Stores will be asked to carry "one to show and two to go" to expedite shipping. The galleries will have signature colors and signage featuring the BABW Home logo. Product will hit stores in March. Pulaski plans to support the brand at retail with in-store events using a portable bear stuffing machine.

The line will be cross-promoted in Build-A-Bear Workshop stores, with point-of-purchase materials referring to the furniture. Pulaski's marketing campaigns also will make use of Build-A-Bear's targeted database of more than 15 million kids. The company says the cross promotion will reach 30,000 weekly BABW shoppers and 1 million monthly BABW online visitors.

Corbin said research shows that 82% of moms would visit a furniture store for a Build-A-Bear Workshop event, and 96% said they wanted to receive information about the furniture.