Wholesale News: Build-A-Bear/Walmart and David’s Bridal

* Merch from Build-A-Bear (St. Louis) is appearing on the shelves at 1500 Walmarts (Bentonville, Ak.), thanks to the former firm making the first-ever wholesale deal. The pact to offer a limited selection of B-A-B stuffies in the discount giant’s stores will run through May 15.

“This is a defining growth milestone for Build-A-Bear,” Chief Revenue Officer Dave Henderson said in a news release. “For nearly three decades, we’ve built our brand around personalization and emotional connection. Launching our first wholesale partnership with Walmart allows us to introduce Build-A-Bear to millions of new guests while staying true to the creativity and individuality that set us apart.”

The offerings include Build-A-Bear Mini Beans, new collectible Micro Mini Beans, and the Build-A-Bear x Bluey collection in partnership with BBC Studios. Build-A-Bear says those items are designed to help it capture “the growing consumer appetite for collectible toys and blind‑bag surprises, delivering big personality in a pint‑sized format.” Its major competitors in that market include Jellycat, the Labubus from Pop Mart and Squishmallows.

* David’s Bridal (King of Prussia, Pa.) has launched a wholesale division and private label programs that are seeking their first clients. The retailer described the move as “a strategic evolution designed to empower independent boutiques and scale enterprise accounts globally.”

David’s initial wholesale offering features capsule collections of more than 50 gowns across the company’s designer portfolio, including Vera Wang Bride, Oleg Cassini, and Viola Chan Couture. The private-label programs and white-label opportunities will enable boutiques and enterprise accounts to develop boutique-branded collections across categories, including bridal gowns, bridesmaids, accessories and veils.

“Wholesale allows us to bring the full strength of our vertically integrated design and production platform to retail partners around the world,” said CEO Kelly Cook.