Maxine Clark
Founder & Chief Executive Bear
Build-A-Bear Workshop
Laureate 2006
Maxine had many role models growing up in Coral Gables, Florida, in the 50s & 60s: President Kennedy, the astronauts, Eleanor Roosevelt and her own mother. Records were being broken and the American dream, especially for women, was alive and growing. Women were making a difference every day and she could grow up to be anything she imagined! And she did imagine! Maxine loved to read, tucked away in the library, which was her favorite place. A book could take her places she could not go in real life. She didn’t come from a financially wealthy family, but they were very rich…in intelligence , in encouragement and in love. Maxine was curious, always poking her nose into things, asking questions, reading about them - luckily, her parents encouraged her curiosity and creativity. She also loved to shop. It wasn’t about what she bought, it was about the experience. She would get dressed up and go to the local department store with her mother. It was an event - you became part of the store and it was special. Later in her retail career she heard Stanley Goodman, then May Company CEO, say “Retailing is theatre and the store is a stage.” She knew that statement was true! After a successful corporate career, she decided to re-invent retail and make it fun her way! In 1997, inspired by her teddy bear, who was her best friend growing up, and the children in her life, she started Build-A-Bear Workshop to bring the fun back to retailing! She created a “beary” special place where kids from 3-103 can use their imaginations and play. Now Maxine’s going to the places she used to only read about and encouraging that creativity in others.
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