Build-A-Bear Workshop has had to close the lines for for their "pay your age" promotion at stores throughout the U.S as long lines have caused safety concerns among local authorities.
Customers began lining up hours before before store openings with several users posting pictures and videos of "Black Friday-esque" turnout. Several tweets from shoppers at malls across Maryland, D.C. and Virginia show large lines around malls waiting to get into Build-a-Bear.
In a tweet, a woman showed the line wrapping around the outside of Westfield Montgomery Mall. She called it a madhouse.
The official Build-A-Bear Facebook page posted an urgent message Thursday morning:
"Per local authorities, we cannot accept additional Guests at our locations due to crowds and safety concerns. We have closed lines in our U.S. and Canada stores. We understand some Guests are disappointed and we will reach out directly as soon as possible."
Julie Funes was in line at Potomac Mills in Woodbridge, Virginia a captured these photos from inside the mall.
Here's a look a photos of malls across the country.
Some customers, however, did have a positive experience, noting that the Build-A-Bear staff was "attentive," "quick-moving," and "made their children very happy."
The “pay your age” day promotion allowed customers to purchase a character and pay their current age with a cap set at $29. The entire store's collection of toys, including popular licensed characters, were available at the event.
