Pay-Your-Age Build-A-Bear Promotion At 7 NJ Stores Shut Down

If you haven't already visited the Build-a-Bear at a New Jersey to "pay your age," it's too late.

Build-A-Bear Workshop, inundated with hours-long lines stretching out of the store, is no longer accepting additional guests at New Jersey's seven stores Thursday because of what it called "crowd and safety concerns."

The toy company was offering quite the deal: Any "Make-Your-Own" furry friend available in the store could be bought for the price of a kid's age, as long as the child was in the store.

Stores nationwide were overwhelmed, and the decision to end the promotion early drew anger locally. The national announcement that the promotion was ending early was posted on the store's page.

"**Urgent Alert: Lines Closed for Pay Your Age Day Event Per local authorities, we cannot accept additional Guests at our locations due to crowds and safety concerns," the alert reads. "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."

Here is what is happening at New Jersey stores:

Freehold

The lines started even before the mall opened and by 10 a.m. was up to a three-hour wait, according to Amanda Delisky of Brick, who went to the Freehold location.

"Friends who are thinking of tackling the Build-A-Bear sale, don't," she wrote on Facebook. "We got there a half hour before it opened and the line is literally wrapped around half the mall, twice."

Parents were attracted to the sales because the bears and stuffed animals at the store normally sell for $20 to $40 apiece, with specialities starting at higher prices, before adding extras such as a voice recording and outfits.

Delisky said she didn't stay because of the length of the line.

"Turned right around and went home. I have a 7-year-old, 3-year-old, and almost 2-year-old. They wouldn't have lasted very long at all if we waited," she said.

Toms River

People started lining up well before the mall in Toms River opened on Thursday.

Brittany Kennard, who was one of the early arrivals, posted that she waited four hours to get in and start the process of getting a bear stuffed. "And we were right near the store," she said.

Though some parents were upset about the wait, Tiffanie Cardona of Toms River praised the security staff at the mall, who handed out water bottles to make sure people stayed hydrated while waiting outside and later gave children waiting punch balloons to help keep them occupied.

"Honestly I don't think it's that bad," she said. "I have a 2-year-old and a 1-year-old out here. They are having a great time with all the other kids."

Parents were attracted to the sales because the bears and stuffed animals at the store normally sell for $20 to $40 apiece, with specialities starting at higher prices, before adding extras such as a voice recording and outfits. But not everyone was convinced it was worth the wait.

"The line for Build-A-Bear at the Ocean County Mall is already outside down the sidewalk, it's crazy," Sherri Donato said in a post on Facebook. ""I'm going to get breakfast instead lol."

The Toms River Office of Emergency Management's Facebook page administrator had a suggestion for those unwilling to wait in line: "Might I suggest building this type of bear instead? I mean, it's chocolate. Need I say more? "

Cherry Hill

Social media users complained that the so-called "Pay your age" promotion was poorly executed in Cherry Hill. Some said that if it's held again in the future, changes would have to be made, including possibly implementing a lottery system, designating pickup times or passing out numbers.

Twitter user @aussieroo7 tweeted there were "hundreds of kids lined up all through the second floor of the mall" at his build a bear location. "I've never seen so many kids," he tweeted.

The below video was taken at the Cherry Hill Build-a-Bear on Thursday.

Willowbrook Mall in Wayne

Local authorities required the Willowbrook personnel to limit the lines and crowds due to safety concerns, a notice on the mall's Facebook page stated.

"We understand this is disappointing, we are working to address the situation, and we will reach out to our valued guests soon," the post states.

Build-A-Bear issued a statement shortly after Willowbrook posted on Facebook saying it closed lines at all of its 400 stores nationwide.

"We have closed lines in our U.S. stores," the company said in a release. "We understand some of our guests are disappointed and we will reach out directly as soon as possible."

Rockaway Mall

"If anyone is going to Build-a-Bear at the Rockaway Mall, don't, seriously the most ridiculous event ever. They only let like 10 people in at a time due to the fire marshal, and when someone comes out they don't let someone in. Seriously furious at this point and when I try to leave the girls freak out!" one mom shared online.

Another shopper, however, said things seemed fine.

"I was on your line in Rockaway and it was quiet and calm. We had to get off of the line but never had to leave the mall. If the mall hit capacity due to fire regulations we would have been asked to leave the mall. Poor excuse in order to disappoint a lot of kids and hope not to cause a riot," one grandmother shared, saying her grandson was "very sad."

Menlo Park Mall in Edison

Lines for the Edison store were so long that they wrapped around the parking deck, leaving scores of children disappointed. One shopper told Patch that employees expected the store to run out of bears, and were handing out $15 off coupons, good until Aug. 4, instead.

"[My daughter] is 2, so trying to explain what was happening was a bit tricky," Jessica Rodriguez-Aquino told Patch. She said the mall was so packed other stores were also reaching capacity.

"My husband then tried to take her [our daughter] to the Disney store to smooth things over with her, but they weren't letting anyone in due to the fact that they were filled to capacity!" she said.

Other shoppers echoed the Rodriguez-Aquino family's experiences.

"I was just inside Menlo Park Mall, Edison but was quickly pushed outside the door to the parking lot and waited an 1 1/2 hrs. for a coupon for a future purchase. Every entrance to the mall was wrapped around the mall. It would've been 5 hours wait time," one Menlo Park shopper shared on Facebook. Read more here...

Deptford

The below video was taken at the Deptford Mall Build-a-Bear Thursday.

Photo by Jeannine Reilly of Brick, published with permission