Mall-based retailers have been severely impacted by COVID. In states like California, the flare-up of infections in the month of July had malls close their doors once again. And even when malls were allowed to operate, foot traffic has remained below previous years.
The uncertainty about the pandemic plus the avoidance of crowded places adds a layer of risk to mall-based retailers that are above their control. With Build-A-Bear Workshop (BBW), we believe the pandemic, and the way stores can operate following social distancing guidelines, completely disrupts its business model.
Management is doing