Univers Toutou

Adorable store — very similar concept to build a bear. My girls loved making their own stuffed toys. The sales person was very helpful. The only caveat was that I asked to be directed to the cheaper dolls for my girls to choose from, and realized later that there were even cheaper options that I wasn’t shown but it was too late, my girls made their selections and I couldn’t say no.

* Good concept, but rules are made to be broken! *
Picture this — rushed guy with 15 minutes between meetings to pick up a gift for a friend’s son.
Enter the store (no children in tow, looking franctic).
Greeted by a very friendly and almost Disneylike staff. (It’s a Small World music chanting away on the speakers in the background.)
She: «Hello, is this your first time?»
Me: «Thank you. Yes. I need to find a gift for a friend’s son.»
She: «Ok, let me explain how everything works.»
Me: (internal voice) «Oy,»
She: «First you pick your new friend, then you pick a star to make a wish and place it inside your friend, and we stuff your friend, and then you get to dress it, and then you build a passport and take the pledge.»
Me: (internal voice) «I wonder if we can short circuit this routine and get out of here in the 15 minutes I have?»
She: «I’ll let you wander around and explore.»
Me: (internal voice) «This one looks good. Ok, deal.»
Me: «Ok, I’m set. Can I buy this one please?»
She: «But of course. Now follow me to pick the star.»
Me: (internal voice) «Oy.»
She: (paraphrase) «Ok, the first star is this… The second is this…»
Me: «This one looks good, thank you.»
She: «Ok, place the star on your forehead and make a wish for the recipient.»
Me: (internal voice) «5 seconds on the head should be enough, right?» (hand star to her)
She: «Ok, now would you it like soft, medium, or hard.»
Me: (internal voice) «Huh!!! Am I getting a massage?» (confused look)
She: «Let’s go to the stuffing machine.»
Me: (internal voice) «Phew.»
She: «I recommend medium.»
Me: «Sounds good.»
She: «Ok, now when I say go step down on the stuffing pedal.»
Me: (internal voice) «Um…Can’t you just do this for me and speed things up a bit?» (external voice) «Ok.»
She: «Now we place the star inside so your wish stays with your friend and comes true.»
Me: (internal voice) «Ok, can we move to the register now?»
She: «Now let’s build the passport for your friend.»
Me: (internal voice) «I’m glad I bypassed the „Dressing your friend“ part by picking a costume before approaching her to stuff the bear. But oy… What now!!!» (external voice) «Do you think I can send them in with their son to do this activity as it seems he might enjoy it?»
She: «Oh, ok. I’ll give you a voucher for that.»
Me: (internal voice) «Did she think I would prefer to do that rather than letting the kid do it? Really!!!»
She: «Ok, let’s ring you up.»
Me: (internal voice) «Yeah, I might get out in time to make my next meeting!»
She takes my payment, I sign the slip, and am ready to go. Not yet though apparently…
She: «Ok, now you have to take the pledge.»
Me: (internal voice) «WTF??? I’ve gotta go!»
She: «Put your hand on your chest and repeat after me…»
Me: (quickly repeating the pledge)
She: «Enjoy!»
Me: «Thank you.» (internal voice) «Can’t they deviate a bit from the routine when the kid isn’t with you and you seem like you are in a rush?»
Overall, a very nice store, which is set up to be a lot of fun building your own plush toy. They seem to have a party room in the back, which I’m sure could make a great children’s birthday party where everyone gets their own toy to go home with which they built themselves.
The bright side — my friend’s son seemed to like his new friend so it was worth going through the «procedure.»

The kid in me jumped out and had to go in this canadian version of build-​a bear. I made a red haired girl doll which i love. Very pricey once you begin dressing the doll or plush animal though. As a tourist, i liked the selection of canadian logo clothing for the dolls. Very friendly sales guy, no pressure to buy anything.