The unicorn trend is one that we just might never get over, and I'm sort of alright with that. What's not to love about colorful, magical creatures? If you and your kids can't get enough of it, either, the new Build-A-Bear unicorn is just what you need for your rainbow colored collection (because you already have the giant unicorn sprinkler, the unicorn humidifier, and the glittery unicorn ice cream, right?)
The Enchanted Unicorn is part of the Beary Fairy Friends collection, which also includes other adorable furry friends, including a rabbit named Pawlette, a "pastel swirled" kitty," and a pink teddy bear. They each retail for $25 each and then you can buy accessories for a few extra dollars a piece. There's a rainbow, tulle tutu, and flower headbands — everything a kid needs to build a fairy friend. They even have magic wands and light-up wings, which you know you're going to need. They're super cute.
Even better than the unicorn is knowing that you're supporting a woman- founded and run company, which is always a bonus. Build-A-Bear was founded by Maxine Clark in 1997, and she managed the company until 2013, when Sharon Price John took over. At the time the company was in kind of a slump, according to CNBC, but Price breathed some life back into it and a lot of that has to do with adorable collections like this Beary Fairy friends.
You might remember that back in the day, there weren't a lot of bears and plush animals marketed towards boys, which was one of Price John's biggest achievements, according to toy analyst Gerrick Johnson. He told CNBC that she "achieved the holy grail of retail" by getting people to stay interested in the product.
She added minions, Frozen dolls, Star Wars, Lalaloopsy, and even a Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles line. And now, unicorns and fairy kittens. What's not to love?
Because she turned the company around, Price John is sort of a legend in the business world, according to Fortune. While stores and Build-A-Bear workshops were closing, she made the company profitable within six months thanks to her innovative way of thinking about the product. She told Fortune that it wasn't easy to keep people motivated:
The company understood the overall vision and the importance of the specific profitability goal. Our employees were on board, but even with good intentions, transition is hard. Difficulties emerge. Doubts creep in. Naysayers chatter. The uninspired become dismayed. Progress can slow or stop.
Clark has said that the idea for Build-A-Bears came from her daughter. She said in a Fortune interview back in 2012:
One day, I was shopping with Katie Burkhardt, the daughter of one of my good friends, and her brother Jack, who collected Ty Beanie Babies. When we couldn't find anything new, Katie picked up a Beanie Baby and said we could make one. She meant we could go home and make the small bears, but I heard something different. Her words gave me the idea to create a company that would allow people to create their own customized stuffed animals. I did some research and began putting together a plan.
She pulled all of her money out of a retirement fund, started finding outside investors and built the business from the ground up. From start to finish, Build-A-Bears was all about girl power. Who knew that something so simple, such as putting dresses and cute shoes on a bear or a unicorn would be so satisfying and successful.
So the next time you're at the mall and want to snag one of the new unicorns, you shouldn't feel guilty about splurging on one. You get an adorable unicorn and you're supporting a woman-owned business. It's totally a win-win.
Check out Romper's new video series, Bearing The Motherload, where disagreeing parents from different sides of an issue sit down with a mediator and talk about how to support (and not judge) each other’s parenting perspectives. New episodes air Mondays on Facebook.
