Gateway Fiber vs Build-A-Bear Workshop
Side-by-side comparison of AI visibility scores, market position, and capabilities
Wright City MO fiber-to-home ISP in Missouri/Minnesota/Massachusetts with 2 Gbps symmetrical, no contracts; $250M CBRE credit facility and $37M+ grants competing with Charter Spectrum for underserved suburban broadband markets.
About
Gateway Fiber is a Wright City, Missouri-based fiber-to-the-home internet service provider — backed by CBRE Investment Management with $250 million in total credit facility (upsized with an incremental $75 million in 2025) — providing residential and business customers in Missouri, Minnesota, and Massachusetts with symmetrical fiber internet at speeds up to 2 Gbps with no contracts, no hidden fees, no annual price hikes, unlimited data, and free professional installation. Founded in 2019, Gateway Fiber has secured $37+ million in federal and state broadband grants and is expanding into underserved suburban and mid-sized metropolitan markets where incumbent cable (Charter/Spectrum, Comcast) and telco (AT&T, Frontier) providers deliver asymmetric copper-based broadband at higher prices and lower reliability. CEO Chris Surdo leads the company since September 2024 (succeeding co-founder Heath Sellenriek).
Experiential retail where customers stuff and customize plush animals; NYSE-listed with 450+ locations globally growing adult gifting and licensed characters competing with Jellycat.
About
Build-A-Bear Workshop is an interactive retail experience company where customers create personalized stuffed animals in-store — selecting an unstuffed plush animal (bears, bunnies, licensed characters from Disney, Marvel, Star Wars), participating in the stuffing process, adding a heart and making a wish, then dressing and accessorizing their creation. Founded in 1997 by Maxine Clark in St. Louis, Missouri, Build-A-Bear is publicly traded (NYSE: BBW) and operates approximately 450 company-owned and franchised workshop locations globally, generating approximately $450-500 million in annual revenue.\n\nBuild-A-Bear's retail model creates an experience-as-a-product that generates high emotional engagement — the in-store creation process makes the stuffed animal uniquely personal for children and adults, driving gift-giving occasion visits (birthdays, holidays, special events). The workshop format requires significant in-store participation, making it inherently difficult to replicate online, though Build-A-Bear has grown its e-commerce business with DIY kits and personalization options. Licensed character collaborations (Disney princesses, NFL teams, Star Wars, Pokémon) drive repeat visits as new characters are released.\n\nIn 2025, Build-A-Bear competes with Jellycat (premium stuffed animals), Ty (collectible plush), and experiential retail concepts for the children's gift and experience market. The company has been one of the more resilient specialty retailers in the era of e-commerce disruption — because the value proposition is the experience, not just the product, it has maintained relevance while other toy retailers consolidated or closed. The 2025 strategy focuses on expanding licensed character partnerships, growing the adult gifting market (Build-A-Bear has found success with pop culture adult audiences), and developing digital integration (virtual customization tools, augmented reality) to complement the in-store experience.
AI Visibility Head-to-Head
Key Details
Also Compare
Track AI Visibility in Real Time
Monitor how your brand performs across ChatGPT, Gemini, Perplexity, Claude, and Grok daily.