                                                                    Exhibit 99.1

Build-A-Bear Workshop, Inc. Announces Review of Lease Related Accounting Methods

    ST. LOUIS--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Feb. 28, 2005--Build-A-Bear Workshop,
Inc. (NYSE:BBW), an interactive, entertainment retailer of customized
stuffed animals, announced that it is reviewing its lease related
accounting methods.
    Like many companies in the retail and restaurant industries, the
company is reviewing its lease accounting methods in light of the new
clarification of generally accepted accounting principles provided by
the Office of the Chief Accountant of the Securities and Exchange
Commission on Feb. 7, 2005.
    At this time, the company has determined it will restate certain
prior period financial statements in order to correct its current
method of accounting for rent holidays and landlord allowances. The
company's review is in process and includes consultations with its
independent auditor and audit committee of the board of directors. The
company anticipates completing its review in conjunction with
announcing fiscal 2004 financial results on March 10, 2005.
    As previously announced, Build-A-Bear Workshop plans to release
fiscal 2004 fourth quarter and full year financial results before the
market opens on March 10, 2005. The company will host a conference
call to discuss the results at 9:00 a.m. Eastern Time that same
morning. Speakers on the call include Maxine Clark, chairman and chief
executive bear, Barry Erdos, president and chief operating officer
bear and Tina Klocke, chief financial bear.

    About Build-A-Bear Workshop, Inc.

    Build-A-Bear Workshop, Inc. (NYSE:BBW) is the leading and only
national, company providing a make-your-own stuffed animal interactive
entertainment retail experience. The first store opened in St. Louis
in 1997 and as of January 2005 the company operated 170 stores in 40
states and Canada. With the opening of its international store in
Sheffield, England in the fall of 2003, and the addition of
international stores in Japan, Denmark and Australia in 2004,
Build-A-Bear Workshop has become the global leader in the teddy bear
business. In November 2004, the company also opened two friends 2B
made(R) stores, the newest concept launch from Build-A-Bear Workshop.
For more information about the company and its products call (888)
560-BEAR (2327) or visit the company's award-winning website at
www.buildabear.com.

    Forward-Looking Statements

    Statements in this news release expressing or indicating the
beliefs and expectations of management regarding future performance
are forward-looking statements including, without limitation, lease
accounting methods, expected financial restatements, future earnings
release dates, and any other plans, objectives, expectations and
intentions contained in this release that are not historical facts.
These statements reflect our current views with respect to future
events and are based on assumptions and subject to risks and
uncertainties. These risks and uncertainties include, without
limitation, those detailed in our final prospectus dated October 28,
2004 under the caption "Risk Factors" and the following: (1) we may be
unable to maintain our current comparable store sales growth; (2) our
marketing initiatives may not be effective in generating sufficient
levels of brand awareness and guest traffic; (3) we may be unable open
new stores to effectively manage our growth; (4) we may be unable to
effectively manage our international franchises or laws relating to
those franchises may change; (5) we may be unable to generate interest
in and demand for our interactive retail experience, or to identify
and respond to consumer preferences in a timely fashion; (6) customer
traffic may decrease in the shopping malls where we are located, on
which we depend to attract guests to our stores; (7) general economic
conditions may decrease, which could lead to reduced consumer demand
for our products; (8) our market share could be adversely affected by
a significant number of competitors; (9) we may lose key personnel, be
unable to hire qualified additional personnel, or experience turnover
of our management team; (10) the ability of our principal vendors to
deliver merchandise may be disrupted; (11) the availability and costs
of our products could be adversely affected by risks associated with
international manufacturing and trade; (12) third parties that manage
our warehousing and distribution functions may perform poorly; (13) we
may fail to renew, register or otherwise protect our trademarks or
other intellectual property; (14) we may have disputes with, or be
sued by, third parties for infringement or misappropriation of their
proprietary rights; (15) we may be unable to renew or replace our
store leases, or enter into leases for new stores on favorable terms,
or may violate the terms of our current leases; (16) we may experience
failures in our communications or information systems; (17) terrorism
or the uncertainty of future terrorist attacks or war could reduce
consumer confidence and mall traffic; (18) we may become subject to
challenges relating to overtime pay or other regulations relating to
our employees; (19) we may suffer negative publicity or be sued due to
violations of labor laws or unethical practices by manufacturers of
our merchandise, and (20) we may improperly obtain or be unable to
protect information from our guests in violation of privacy or
security laws or expectations.
    These risks, uncertainties and other factors may adversely affect
our business, growth, financial condition or profitability, or subject
us to potential liability, and cause our actual results, performance
or achievements to be materially different from those expressed or
implied by our forward-looking statements. We do not undertake any
obligation or plan to update these forward-looking statements, even
though our situation may change.

    CONTACT: Build-A-Bear Workshop, Inc.
             Investors:
             Molly Salky, 314-423-8000 x5353
             or
             Media:
             Jill Saunders, 314-423-8000 x5293

