Maxine Clark
Founder and Former CEO of Build-A-Bear Workshop
Maxine K. Clark is best known as the founder of the iconic Build‑A‑Bear Workshop. Launched in 1997, Build-A-Bear grew from a single store in St. Louis into a global brand with hundreds of locations worldwide and millions of customised furry friends created by customers.
Maxine built a distinguished retail career before founding Build-A-Bear, including senior leadership roles at department stores and serving as President of Payless ShoeSource. One day, a shopping trip with a friend’s daughter inspired her vision for a store where children and families could build personalised stuffed animals. What started as an idea became an iconic retail experience that transformed the way consumers engage with personalised products.
Under her leadership, Build-A-Bear expanded rapidly and went public in 2004, earning acclaim for its unique blend of retail, entertainment, and emotional connection. Maxine also authored The Bear Necessities of Business: Building a Company With Heart, sharing her philosophy on customer engagement.
After stepping down as CEO in 2013, Maxine focused her entrepreneurial energy on investment in women and minority entrepreneurs. She leads ventures including mobile education tools and mixed-use urban redevelopment projects, and serves on multiple boards across education, public media and healthcare.
Maxine’s contributions to retail and community impact have been recognised through numerous honors and board roles, reflecting a career defined by innovation and generous reinvestment of success into the organisations and communities she serves.
Maxine Clark
Founder and Former CEO of Build-A-Bear Workshop
Maxine K. Clark is best known as the founder of the iconic Build‑A‑Bear Workshop. Launched in 1997, Build-A-Bear grew from a single store in St. Louis into a global brand with hundreds of locations worldwide and millions of customised furry friends created by customers.
Maxine built a distinguished retail career before founding Build-A-Bear, including senior leadership roles at department stores and serving as President of Payless ShoeSource. One day, a shopping trip with a friend’s daughter inspired her vision for a store where children and families could build personalised stuffed animals. What started as an idea became an iconic retail experience that transformed the way consumers engage with personalised products.
Under her leadership, Build-A-Bear expanded rapidly and went public in 2004, earning acclaim for its unique blend of retail, entertainment, and emotional connection. Maxine also authored The Bear Necessities of Business: Building a Company With Heart, sharing her philosophy on customer engagement.
After stepping down as CEO in 2013, Maxine focused her entrepreneurial energy on investment in women and minority entrepreneurs. She leads ventures including mobile education tools and mixed-use urban redevelopment projects, and serves on multiple boards across education, public media and healthcare.
Maxine’s contributions to retail and community impact have been recognised through numerous honors and board roles, reflecting a career defined by innovation and generous reinvestment of success into the organisations and communities she serves.
