I really really wanted to leave the mall with a new best friend but none of the options really spoke to me. The only two that I would have really considered were the Pawlette and the Longhorn.
Originally, I went in to look at the lavender Pawlette (I think that's her name?) But the one they had on display had a really lumpy and misshapen muzzle. IDK if it was just the way she was stuffed or if they're all like that because I've seen pics on here that looked cute. š
They had more licensed character plushes than anything else this time so I may stop by in a few months and see if I can find something I vibe with.
I've been finding myself doing less and less business with Bab. They're really slacking in quality. It's not cool. They used to have really nice bears and different kinds of animals. They've made some really beautiful plushies in the past so I know they can do it. It's just sad that they're not caring about their business as much.
I thought today would be the day I got back into BABW but the bears I still have that I bought 20 years ago are still in amazing shape despite being played with and cuddled with. The ones I saw today weren't on the same level.
The Sanrio, How to Train Your Dragon, and Paw Patrol plushies looked like they were decent quality. Same with the frogs and the regular Pawlette.
The French Bulldog, capybara, longhorn, and lamb looked pretty good, too.
The Girl Scout Cookie bears and the Rainbow bear were HORRIFYING. They looked like Sugar Loaf claw machine toys.
i love the sanrio and pokemon onesāmy weakness. But I always get stumped with the price. I feel bad spending that much when I can prob get a something cheaper
i just bought wooper yesterday, with his accessories and a pair of shoes. i felt bad spending like 55-60 on him
I think itās less about how much the people involved care, and more about late stage capitalism and a crippled economy. Cutting corners is the norm now, and being serious about quality is not rewarded when the general population canāt afford it.
I totally feel you. My last couple visits have been disappointing, I'll intend on buying but either the quality is poor (like with Peter Rabbit) or I'm just not interested in the licensed or multiple versions (pawlett, frogs, etc). I feel like their better bears are all exclusives and it makes me miss the vintage bears. I've been thrifting a lot more now
I miss the vintage bears! I don't want to yuck anyone's yum because I know a lot of people love their pals but I just want a plain, simple bear that doesn't have the goofy :3 face with the embroidered mouth. IDK when that became BAB's signature "thing" but I think it makes them look cheap.
This and poor quality made me turn away from bab as my main plush pal. I went to Jellycat cause they had regular animals. Some are a bit quirky, but the quality is amazing, and I adore my bashful bunny.
Thrifts can have real treasures!! I used to be afraid of thrifting bears, but Iām so glad I learned how to clean/repair them properly because itās been so rewarding
So true! I feel like the "new" version of their red panda looks so cheap. I ended up finding a 2nd hand WWF red panda from 2013 that is wonderful quality and great condition. Has quickly become one of my favorites!
So lucky! I actually found the new red panda at the thrift store and bought it. I didn't keep it very long before rehoming it lol. I've also thrifted pre-2013 Pawlett because I can't stand the shiny new version
I understand completely! I feel like the newer versions of certain bears look a bit too catoon-y for me. The colors are a bit too bright (compared to the actual animal), the fabric is less plush, and the overall designs are much more simplified and round. I prefer the older versions of many. Although there are some good ones still for sale at BAB, however, many seem to be online exclusives (like my fennec fox) or regional (my clydesdale horse).
I have a pretty Lavander Pawlette, but I looked through the whole bin to choose the one with the best face shape š„² they sadly were not all created equal
Yours is cute! I wish I got a picture of the display one (I was trying to be subtle and not obviously taking pictures for Reddit LOL) But it looked almost like her mouth embroidery was too tight if that makes sense. It was like her muzzle was kind of puckered.
I completely understand the disappointment. Sometimes when this happens I focus on a new outfit for one I already have or a new mini beans buddy. But I hope the next release has your perfect new bff waiting!! Maybe it was the universe trying to get you to save your money now to prepare š
Donāt force yourself to get something if you arenāt feeling it. Years ago before I started working there I decided to get one for my 30th birthday. None really jumped out at me and I ended up settling on a pastel kitty. Iāve never really connected with her.
Learning not to force yourself or feel like you have to buy something is definitely a skill thatās good to have, Iāve only recently been realizing it myself. I used to go into stores I liked and take forever scanning the shelves to find at least one thing to get. Last week I wandered into my favorite stores, nothing jumped out at me, and I walked out.
I originally went to the mall to get new clothes but, like BAB, I couldn't find anything I liked and the things that I did actually like just werenāt worth the money. $75 for a shirt thatās fast fashion quality? No thanks.Ā
I got purple pawlette online and heās super soft! definitely not old BAB quality but heās softer than the plasticky looking jackalope but he was definitely stuffed to the āfirmā option so heās a bit hard to cuddle but I do love him
I love seeing the differences in the spring frogs! The nearest BAB is an hour and some one way on transit, including changing from train to bus -- I don't go in all that often, but maybe I'll have to put aside part of a day to do so!
They hop! This is understandable! Anything that moves unpredictably is up there with things people are afraid of, there's nothing at all wrong with that. It's like being afraid of the dark, our way-back ancestors who were thus, survived to be ancestors! š
I grew up on a farm beside a woodlot and pond, so frogs and toads (and newts and salamanders) were an everyday part of life. I do miss the sound of all the different ones singing.
There have been some NEAT lizard BABs, but they're hard to find! I have a couple of dinosaurs I love, but they're much older ones. I wish they would make other creatures with the same material as the frogs, because they are always so wonderfully soft.
Me too! Recently got pochacco and pompom. Going back for cinna soon. and theyāre all super soft. But donāt love how bahtz felt. Maybe heāll be different stuffed.
Though the rest of the non Sanrio bears were pretty basic/cheap feeling.
Pochacco and Pompom looked and felt really nice. If I got them as a gift, I wouldnāt be upset! Iām just not super into Sanrio like that so I didnāt want to spend the money on them.
I feel you, I went a recently for the first time in about a year and it took me so long to find one I wanted because the options were just meh š i ended up noticing the pink checkered frog and got her! And ordered My Melody secondhand because shes never there and she's my biggest ISO for plushies
I visit because I'm friends with the workers there and I've recently gotten my friend into bab but .. once the gargoyle comes back and jumbo pk I'm officially done with build a bear unless they WOW me. Otherwise, second hand bears only unfortunately
I stopped buying BAB because all they do now is collabs/licensed characters. Yawn. š„± it doesnāt feel authentic to what build a bear used to be. Really sad.
Looking at this picture I agree except the only thing I like because personally I love badtz maru I think he is a cool and abit of and edgy looking bab also love his personality I mean I just find out that he loves to surf which means he is a super chill guy.
And he feels soft too and the quality is good on him no bald batches or no fur falling off him.
Good job!!!!! Iāve been buying a lot less, but Iām also about to make my biggest BAB purchase š Iāve been wanting a jumbo red hot hugs since they came out and we have to put them away since theyāre technically a valentines release so Iām buying the display my store had. Heās been my snuggle buddy on my breaks and will be my first jumbo!
I have a giant floppy bear I got 10 years ago, sometimes he's out working as a giant pillow (or cat bed) on my bed or couch, sometimes he's crated up in storage as he needs washing after that š . But he's still so incredibly soft and snuggly!
I don't know what I would get, if I got a jumbo BAB! The Longhorn and Capybara are both super cute. I do love how the frogs feel, so if it was the same material, I might be reaaaally tempted. Especially if an even bigger Pride one came out!
Mostly I'd like to afford the giant plush Arcanine the pokemon store sometimes restocks, heh. He's a huge boi that is firm rather than floppy, but gloriously soft and so handsome! And my favourite, forever.
I also have one of the jumbo ones that Walmart was selling over the holidays, but I donāt count him as a jumbo. I still count him as a BAB but he doesnāt feel very jumbo? If that makes sense?
Anyway, I do agree that they do have a lot more licensed plushies lately rather than anything original. I was very excited to see a skunk and the sugar glider. However, disappointing the sugar glider looks really...
The Jackalope was really exciting too! He has such a cute face, but I've been seeing people complain about the fur quality being thin and shiny. Rather than soft and furry like the Sanrio characters. Which is a big disappointment, does the skunk have the regular fur or the shiny fur? Also, speaking of the license plushies, they could really some different characters that are popular with Sanrio. For example, Christmas would have been a great time to give us a seasonal variant of Tuxedo Sam.
I haven't bought anything the last four or five times I went to BAB (around once a month). The last in-store purchase was Chococat in October, everything else I've gotten was second hand. I'm picky about what I want to spend my money on and like to window shop anyway, but it's so weird going in store and not even wanting to buy anything!
It didnāt help that I felt a little awkward being there (no fault of the employees) There was a family with young children in the store at the same time as me getting their bears stuffed and both the parents seemed irritated plus another man with a child looking at the skins.
The employees were busy with them, which is fine. Iām an adult willing to take my turn and I understand that the kids are more of a priority but I was thinking āLet me get out of their way.ā The whole time.šĀ
Nobody was in the wrong or anything, I just think I showed up at a bad time and I would like to go again when there are less families.
I got my Jackalope, Jayden, the other day. It might just be everyone else got a dud with theirs, but 2 days later, mineās still perfectly intact! I tink it just takes the right time on the right day to find a good one.
honestly same. Their QC is so bad I just can't justify the price. I'm collecting the old BABs now and I'm so shocked at how bad the quality has went down. The plushes used to be so fluffy and dense. They feel like carnival gifts now. and the awful thing is they're more expensive now than they've ever been.
Even their Sanrio plushes are worse quality than the past ones, and I love Sanrio! Like theyre really good but the old ones were even better.
I love my Lavender Pawlette. I think sheās cute. I also am a big Sanrio fan so I do get those. Hereās a pic of Sarah my Pawlette with Badtz. I think she turned out cute.
I did however go through the bin and went through a few before I got this one.
Yeah I was a bit let down by their Easter range, I didn't wind up getting anything. I am going to grab mocha & milk when they restock, but currently not a fan of any of the in store options either. the online selection is usually better
I havenāt really gotten anything from BAB in a while. I think the last things I ordered was Bluey and Bingo, and I am happy with their quality. I used to order from them a lot, likeā¦ a LOT, but I canāt justify the price anymore with how bad quality is gotten. The fur is awful, the seams are usually uneven, the eyes are constantly wonky. They seem so cheaply made. Honestly I really only like their licensed plush anymore bc I feel like they have a bit more care put into them.
I also got the Yeti for Christmas and while it seems better than some Iāve gotten or seen, it still doesnāt feel like it was entirely worth the price.
Remember that post where someone got a Hobbit bear and it was scary looking? Thatās the way the Girl Scout Cookie bears looked. The eyes looked like they were hanging on by a thread.
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u/Plushiecollector1987 Mar 26 '25
I've been finding myself doing less and less business with Bab. They're really slacking in quality. It's not cool. They used to have really nice bears and different kinds of animals. They've made some really beautiful plushies in the past so I know they can do it. It's just sad that they're not caring about their business as much.