If you wanted a Build-A-Bear today, forget it

If you are not already in line for Build-A-Bear’s Pay Your Age Day at the Columbia Center, you likely won’t go home with a bear.

But you might still get a voucher for later.

The first-of-its-kind sale started as a way for parents and kids to pay between $1 to $29 for any stuffed animal in the stores.

The popularity of the event brought massive lines and crowds to locations nationwide.

Now the stores are no longer admitting additional guests because of safety concerns.

Columbia Center mall’s Build-A-Bear joined the hysteria with hundreds of people lined up from the mall entrance to Macy’s, down to the mall’s movie theater.

Build-A-Bear workers said they weren’t shutting the event down in Kennewick. However, workers said they would give out vouchers to customers after they run out of stock.

Shoppers in the U.S., Canada and the U.K. voiced anger about the event. Several stated the shops were not prepared for the event with enough stock for the projected number of people interested.

Others decided on a different path to their children’s happiness.

Build-A-Bear released a statement on the pandemonium created by the deal.

“Per local authorities, we cannot accept additional Guests at our U.S. Build-A-Bear Workshop locations due to crowd and safety concerns,” Build-A-Bear said in the statement. “We have closed lines in our U.S. stores. We understand some of our guests are disappointed and we will reach out directly as soon as possible.”

Build-A-bear announced the event Monday.

This story was originally published July 12, 2018 at 11:39 AM.