Build-A-Bear Workshop opened a new distribution center in Groveport, Ohio that will serve as the primary distribution center for the company’s North America store operations.


“Future growth of our business was the driving force behind this new facility,” said Barry Erdos, president and chief operating officer bear. “This new state-of-the-art distribution center will allow us to not only improve inventory control and management, realize greater efficiencies and reduce operating costs, but also has been designed to accommodate projected growth well into the future. From start to finish the project has remained on-schedule; we are fully staffed and the transition to full operation has gone smoothly.”

The distribution center is in the Groveport Commerce Center located approximately 10 miles southeast of downtown Columbus. It will employ approximately 100 associates and cost the company about $24 million.

Build-A-Bear Workshop previously utilized three distribution centers operated by third-party providers. These centers were located in St. Louis, Toronto, Canada and Los Angeles. The company will continue to utilize the third party distribution center in Toronto and will transition the St. Louis center to a distribution pool point for local markets.