ST. LOUIS � Build-A-Bear Workshop is going retro with a new line of Super Mario bears.
Overland, Mo.-based Build-Bear said Wednesday it signed a licensing deal with Nintendo to offer Mario bears, Luigi costumes and other characters for the first time from the 1980s-era video game.
Sales of the Mario line began online Wednesday and the bears will be available in stores this weekend. The three new build-your-own characters are Mario Bear, Bowser and Yoshi. Other products include a pre-stuffed character, Toad, and a red Super Mario hoodie.
Build-A-Bear has focused in recent years on broadening its licensed product offerings, including Chewbacca bears from Star Wars and St. Louis Cardinals bears decked out in team uniforms.
"Super Mario is a classic game franchise many of our guests know and love, and we've had a lot of fun bringing these characters into furry friend form," Build-A-Bear's chief product officer Jennifer Kretchmar said in a statement about the company's newest line.
