A teenage girl at a Build-A-Bear workshop in Washington State faced disappointment when store staff refused her request to name her newly created teddy bear after Charlie Kirk, a slain conservative activist.
The outing started off as a fun trip to South Center Mall near Seattle for 16-year-old Evie McCormick and her friend, but things took a turn when the store manager dismissed her desire to put Kirk’s name on the plush toy’s birth certificate. McCormick shared her experience with King 5 News.
“She didn’t agree with it. She didn’t support it and said, ‘We’re not doing this,'” McCormick recounted.
The manager then reportedly crumpled the birth certificate, which is typically given to customers who purchase a bear, and unceremoniously tossed it aside.
Visibly upset, McCormick handed her debit card to her friend and walked away from the register, where she was about to pay for the bear, which usually costs between $16 and $48.
The incident made her friend, Kylie Lang, “very uncomfortable,” according to their conversation with the news outlet.
Latest Developments on the Shooting of Charlie Kirk
- The suspected shooter, 22-year-old Tyler Robinson, has been identified in connection with Kirk’s murder at Utah Valley University on September 10.
- Robinson faces charges including aggravated murder, felony discharge of a firearm, and obstruction of justice.
- Authorities revealed that Robinson lived with a transgender roommate, and their communication helped law enforcement apprehend him.
- Kirk, 31, was shot while participating in an event for his American comeback tour.
- President Trump has called for the death penalty for the assassin.
- Kirk’s body was flown to Arizona and accompanied by Vice President J.D. Vance for a funeral scheduled on September 21 at State Farm Stadium.
- Survived by his wife and two young children, Kirk was a prominent figure in conservative circles.
Build-A-Bear’s policy prohibits customers from giving “vulgar or offensive” names to their stuffed animals. However, McCormick insisted that she merely wanted to commemorate Kirk, who had been killed during a talk at the university.
McCormick expressed admiration for Kirk’s ability to communicate effectively, describing him as “a role model.”
“Before that moment, it felt like an innocent outing,” she said in reference to the encounter with the staff.
The incident on September 26 sparked frustration for her mother, Amber McCormick, prompting her to seek a response from Build-A-Bear’s corporate office.
Initially, the company addressed Amber with a $20 gift card in hopes of improving customer experience but later indicated they would retrain staff to avoid mixing politics with their brand.
Amber stated that the company aims to prevent similar situations from occurring in the future.
Attempts to reach McCormick for further comment were unsuccessful, and there was no response to inquiries sent to Build-A-Bear’s corporate office.
