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Build-A-Bear Stock Soars Despite Tariffs; Israeli Military Says Ceasefire In Effect As Troops Pull Back In Gaza; Powerful Nor'Easter To Slam East Coast This Weekend; WHO: One Billion People Affected Globally By Mental Health Issues. Aired 8:30-9a ET
Aired October 10, 2025 - 8:30 ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
[8:30:00]
KATE BOLDUAN, CNN ANCHOR: Some of the most successful companies in the world. Their five-year stock trajectory is eclipsed by one expected plushie (ph) underdog, Build-A-Bear Workshop. The stock price for this stuffed animal brand and mall chain has surged more than 2,000 percent placing it in the top 20 market gainers during that period.
Joining me right now is Sharon Price John, the CEO of Build-A-Bear Workshop. She's also the chair of the -- the Toy Association.
When I was seeing the numbers, and I was reading about this, it really did make me do a double-take.
SHARON PRICE JOHN, CHIEF EXECUTIVE OFFICER, BUILD-A-BEAR WORKSHOP: Yes.
BOLDUAN: How are you doing it?
JOHN: Well, I mean this has been a long process obviously.
BOLDUAN: Of course.
JOHN: And that's what, you know, when everybody really gets credit for that because you have to go --
BOLDUAN: Of course.
JOHN: -- all the way back to 10 years ago, but we'll make it a lot shorter. It's basically been, one, a return to profitability which we were not over a decade ago. And then we had to create a strategy that would pay a lot of attention to the power of the brand.
BOLDUAN: Mm-hmm.
JOHN: And we were becoming multi-generational. So we extended the addressable market which means in everyday terms now we target also, not just the kids but teens and adults 40 percent of our business now. And then we reinvent --
BOLDUAN: Adults are 40 percent in business?
JOHN: Yes. Kid -- teens and adults are 40 percent of our business right now. And I'm going to tell you why in a second.
But we also had to reinvent our retail.
BOLDUAN: Mm-hmm.
JOHN: So not just malls anymore. Malls are still a big part of what we do, but that's almost, you know, 30 40 percent of our retail environment now.
We're in tourist locations, cruise ships, hospitality. And we also built out our e-commerce business. We -- we had to participate in the digital economy.
BOLDUAN: Because that was one of my questions --
JOHN: Yes.
BOLDUAN: -- Sharon was, how do you in the age of more disconnection, so everything is digital, everything is online, everything is quick fast and easy one click away.
How do you successfully convince people to come in, in real life to a brick and mortar location and have an experience? How do you do it?
JOHN: It is all about the experience.
BOLDUAN: OK.
JOHN: There's a few trends that are going on right now that are benefiting the fact that we had done all of this operational work.
BOLDUAN: Mm-hmm.
JOHN: One is kidulting.
BOLDUAN: What is that?
JOHN: Kidulting is -- it's kind of like what it sounds, right? It's adults wanting to be kids. And they're buying things that they loved when they were kids. And so we leaned into that with really interesting licenses that played on their memory. So a mash-up of say Hello Kitty and Build-A-Bear.
BOLDUAN: Yes.
JOHN: We have a Hello Kitty Build-A-Bear store in L.A. now.
BOLDUAN: Wow.
JOHN: So -- or Harry Potter or any of the --
BOLDUAN: Do you attribute it to nostalgia? I mean --
JOHN: Yes.
BOLDUAN: -- I remember Build-A-Bear as a child. I've taken my daughters to Build-A-Bear to have that. Is -- is that some of it?
JOHN: Yes. In fact, there's a new term that's emerging called the nostalgia economy right now.
BOLDUAN: Mm-hmm.
JOHN: And some of the -- that -- that -- that the ideas around this that economists believe, it is been hyped a little bit more because of the COVID pandemic. Because when people came out of that --
BOLDUAN: Yes, yes.
JOHN: -- seeking comfort, they wanted to go back to things that they knew and loved. And they also wanted to go back -- come back out and have experiences.
BOLDUAN: So you've got -- you've -- you've hit this sweet spot. Let me add -- you've got this Labubu craze. Let's talk about like the crazes of the fads that come through.
JOHN: Mm-hmm.
BOLDUAN: This Labubu craze has been so huge around the globe. How do you -- how do you -- Build-A-bear successful -- how do you capitalize on that but not, I don't know, overcompensate when it could be just a passing craze?
JOHN: Right. So that particular trend is a great example of kidulting.
BOLDUAN: Yes. That's what -- that's right then.
JOHN: I mean, a big portion of those sales are to teens and adults, obviously. And, you know, you never know with the toy industry, if it's going to be hot now or if it's going to have a lasting -- BOLDUAN: Totally.
JOHN: -- you know. So, what you have to do is focus on your own business and what you're good at. And Build-A-Bear, we have held, again, a long history. We focus on the kids we focus on the adults, and we focus on licensing. We try to create a wonderful experience and do our very, very best to have a broad price point array --
BOLDUAN: Yes.
JOHN: -- some of the challenges that are going on. So we still have a great entry level price point for kids to come in and pay their age for their birthday.
BOLDUAN: Mm-hmm.
JOHN: So, it's really important for us to have that type of opportunity for everyone.
BOLDUAN: You really -- you've found your customer and that you've grown with your customer. The connection is -- is a real one is what I kind of feel the brand. Let's talk about the here now in this economy. You've got Mattel in May saying it's rising prices because of tariffs. You've got a Hasbro, two companies you know because you work for them both.
JOHN: I did. I did.
BOLDUAN: Hasbro is saying they're going to need to raise prices. You have said that tariffs are coming for your bottom line --
JOHN: Yes.
BOLDUAN: -- at the end of this year. The toy industry sources products from Asia, in large part. No one gets -- no one's getting away from that. Are you going to need to raise prices?
JOHN: Well, we're going -- of course. I mean, the -- the key though is, how do you raise prices? And there are ways to approach it whereas more scalpeled approach that we have -- that we have products that are --
BOLDUAN: Give me an example.
JOHN: Like -- so we have licensed products that come in a bundle that are maybe, you know, they have more expensive to start with but they're targeted to an adult.
[8:35:07]
BOLDUAN: Uh-huh.
JOHN: But I'm going to be very focused on keeping that entry level price point for a young child to have a great experience, like, you can still come in to Build-A-Bear, have a complete experience if your child is turning a year old more a dollar.
So, it's about how you do it. So that you're providing a great opportunity to experience something, create something customized, have something that you want, create a great memory. Because those memories that we're creating with the heart ceremony, they're indelible and they're family focused. And that is an investment in the future for Build-A-Bear.
BOLDUAN: What -- I can totally see it. One of the things about tariffs has been bringing you -- bringing manufacturing back to the United States.
JOHN: Mm-hmm.
BOLDUAN: Do you see tariffs pushing any -- any toy -- you're also the chair of The Toy Association.
JOHN: Yes. Right.
BOLDUAN: And are you seeing a trend that it is pushing, forcing any toy company to move manufacturing to the United States?
JOHN: Well, this is a very difficult question --
BOLDUAN: OK.
JOHN: -- because the toy industry is a little bit different, and that the vast majority of the members of The Toy Association, for example, are small to mid-cap -- or small to mid-company. they're very small.
BOLDUAN: Right.
JOHN: And a lot of them are just mom and pop. So they are cash flow companies where sometimes people even mortgage their homes to get that container in there.
BOLDUAN: How so?
JOHN: That -- that's the way it works. So that -- in that particular area, they -- they can't create a manufacturing facility. So for the larger companies, we certainly look at options on how to do that.
But for any industry, there has to be a certain amount of what I would call predictability and what's going to be because it takes investment, it takes time.
And the industry spans a lot of different categories. We're cutting stitch just to, you know --
BOLDUAN: Right.
JOHN: -- or plastic molding is a big piece.
BOLDUAN: Right.
JOHN: Or even technology, and -- but they're low-end chips. You have to get those component parts from all over the world.
Some of the things that is required for us to create our products are not made in the U.S. and you can't make all your component parts. But that would take, you know, again, years and some visibility.
BOLDUAN: Years. Yes.
JOHN: And there's also a huge infrastructure, particularly in China and now a little more in Vietnam, safety standards, process, you know, all the shipping is very efficient, because that's been built over the last 50 years to give you a bit of a horizon of what it takes.
But it's not that the industry is against that.
BOLDUAN: Right.
JOHN: But you just have to have a horizon to make that kind of investment over time.
BOLDUAN: And it's -- your perspective is so interesting and Build-A- Bear has been, the success of Build-A-Bear is something to watch, especially in these -- in these times. JOHN: Yes.
BOLDUAN: It's great to meet you, Sharon. Thank you --
JOHN: Thank you.
BOLDUAN: -- so much for coming.
JOHN: Oh, no, I really appreciate it.
BOLDUAN: Really appreciate it.
John?
JOHN BERMAN, CNN ANCHOR: No stuffed animals will be harmed in this next segment.
New this morning, the Trump administration is appealing a federal judge's ruling blocking the president's National Guard deployment around Chicago, blocked for at least two weeks.
All of this has set up this back and forth, an incendiary back and forth, with President Trump and Illinois Governor J.B. Pritzker with President Trump saying Pritzker should be thrown in jail. Governor Pritzker basically saying come and get him.
This is politics 2025. CNN senior data analyst Harry Enten is here.
So we have President Trump, Governor Pritzker here. Who is coming at this battle for maybe a greater position of strength?
HARRY ENTEN, CNN CHIEF DATA ANALYST: Yes. I believe it's the National League Divisional Series and Chicago is taking on Milwaukee.
At this particular point, Donald Trump is about as popular as the Milwaukee Brewers in the city of Chicago. What are we talking about here?
Chicagoans on Trump versus Pritzker. You know, back in November of 2024, Donald Trump just got 20 percent of the vote in the city of Chicago, right? He's run now three times. He's gotten 20 percent of the vote or less in all three of those elections. He is not a popular guy in Chicago.
J.B. Pritzker, on the other hand, is quite popular in the city of Chicago. He's got a 64 percent approval rating in the city according to a poll taken a little bit earlier this year.
The bottom line is this. When it comes to the city of Chicago, J.B. Pritzker is on the side of Chicagoans, and Donald Trump is most certainly not.
BERMAN: You take this big giant step back when we're talking about these National Guard deployments around the country. Something really interesting happening yesterday, where the Oklahoma governor told "The New York Times," he's a Republican, that basically Republicans would have gone bonkers if National Guard, from a democratic state, had gone to their states in the Biden administration. Be that as it may.
Writ large, how are these deployments being viewed?
ENTEN: Yes. I -- I would say that the American public is on the side of the Oklahoma governor. What are we talking about here?
Well, why don't we just look at a president in sending troops in the state? The plurality of Americans opposed it from the state's governor objections. See it right here, taking the cake, 48 percent.
Support it, even if the governor of the state is in opposition to it. Just 37 percent. You look among independents, you get this 48 percent, you go to 50 percent, and just 28 percent of independent support, the idea.
So the bottom line is Donald Trump keeps doing this, right? He did it out in L.A., he did it out in California. It actually made Gavin Newsom a national figure. Now, he's doing it again in Chicago. He keeps playing the same old hits over and over and over again, hoping for a different outcome.
[8:40:05]
But the bottom line is the American people are with these governors. They simply put, do not like the idea of a president coming in and taking the power away from the governor of that state and sending National Guard troops into their state over their objections, John.
BERMAN: You brought up California, that was the first place that happened here. How did we see that? Or have we seen that impact the president's popularity since?
ENTEN: Yes. As I said, Donald Trump just keeps playing the same old hits over and over and over again, hoping for a different outcome.
I don't know what he's doing because the idea of doing something over and over and over again, and hoping for a different outcome, is the definition of insanity. In this case, it's political insanity.
Trump's net approval rating. Pre-troops sent in L.A. He was at minus four points. It's not particularly great, but it was right near the top of where he was since the beginning of his second term as president.
You look at it now, down through the floor, he's at negative 10 points. The bottom line is this. Donald Trump sending these troops in the cities. He may think it's a political winner, but we've seen over and over again. It simply put does not work out.
Donald Trump -- Donald Trump right now, you're the trough of his popularity, not near the apex of it. And sending troops in the cities when the governors there don't want it, simply put, as I said in an earlier segment, is a political loser.
BERMAN: Harry Enten, thank you so much for this. Have a very peaceful weekend. ENTEN: You're a winner in my book, John.
BERMAN: Thank you. Thank you.
Sara?
SARA SIDNER, CNN ANCHOR: Oh, you both are. It's Friday. Let's be nice.
All right. Ahead, a ceasefire now in place in Gaza. The clock ticking for the remaining hostages to finally be released back to Israel. And you're seeing live pictures there, as people are streaming back into Gaza City there along the beach.
We will talk to the father of one of the hostages who was still being held.
And a bus driver stopping her route, because she noticed something in the road. It turned out to be a child just wandering around in the middle of a busy road. What she did in response? Those stories and more, ahead.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
[8:45:26]
BOLDUAN: The breaking news this morning, after two years of war, Israeli forces are beginning to pull out of from parts of Gaza after the military announced the U.S. brokered ceasefire is now in effect.
And this withdrawal, this movement officially starts the 72-hour clock for Hamas to release all of its hostages.
Among the many victims of the October 7th attacks is Itay Chen. He is the youngest U.S. hostage taken by Hamas. And his father, Ruby Chen, who spoke with us earlier in the week, is now back with us this morning.
Ruby, thank you so much for coming back. We just talked on Tuesday, marking the two-year mark since the October 7th attacks.
How are you feeling about this deal that President Trump says the hostages will be coming out Monday or Tuesday?
RUBY CHEN, SON ITAY CHEN TAKEN HOSTAGE BY HAMAS: I think it's a mixed bag of emotions. One is the excitement that finally, you know, many of us will be able to be able to see our loved ones, anticipation that indeed and that's a better future waiting around the corner.
But also there's an anxiety aspect because the agreement was put in place in such a way that Hamas only provided to do best effort. I'm bringing back all the 48 hostages. So there is that scenario of some say even realistic.
A scenario that Hamas will come back and say, look, we don't have 48, we only have a lower number. So, it might be that there are some families, including mine, that do not have closure. So there's no guarantee that indeed in the next 72 hours, you know, this is going to be done for my family, for all the families.
BOLDUAN: Yes. These -- and -- and the Israeli prime minister is now implying that not all deceased hostages held in -- held captive in Gaza are going to return. He's -- just for all of our viewers, and I know you probably saw it.
Netanyahu said in an address today, we will bring the deceased hostages to burial in Israel. We will work to locate them as soon as possible is how he put it. And we will fulfill this as a sacred duty of mutual responsibility.
You told me that you do still hold out.
CHEN: Yes, but there's no --
(CROSSTALK)
BOLDUAN: Right.
CHEN: There's sanctions. There's no levers that, you know, put the onus on Hamas to make it happen. If it doesn't happen, then it's still an invest effort aspect, which is where we the families feel that anxiety.
BOLDUAN: Absolutely. Because I was going to say, you had told me this week you hold out hope that Itay is still alive, but there is uncertainty around it there.
So you really -- you and your family are really in this -- in a -- in a -- in a very uncomfortable, unclear space right now with what we hear the prime minister implying.
CHEN: Yes. But, you know, we are moving forward. The government of Israel did ratify the agreement just to make sure the prime minister brought into that meeting, Mr. Kushner and Mr. Witkoff just to make sure there would be nothing funny going on.
And we see, hopefully now Hamas, also doing what they need to do, which is providing the hostages. At least my understanding is that if that can happen in the next day, it's more likely it would be someday would be the day we start seeing hostages coming out.
[8:50:02]
BOLDUAN: What are -- what are the next few days going to be like for you and your family? I mean, have you heard from the Israeli government or even the U.S. State Department on what to prepare for? What -- what -- what happens?
CHEN: Yes, there are two scenarios. There's a good scenario and the one that's not so good. And we understand what is in -- in front of us.
But again, Hamas was not requested to provide a list in advance of who they're going to release and what status. So there's still that unknown piece that we are waiting for. And we -- we try to understand, OK, what is Hamas going to do? They're going to come out with the living first, the deceased, then the mixed, who's coming and what less than, you know, that's not clear to us.
And it's just to wait and see what Hamas provide. So that's the next -- the next 48 hours from now we'll have a better understanding where we are.
BOLDUAN: You told me on Tuesday that even if you are going to get bad news about Itay, it's very important to know.
And you -- you also said, and I've been thinking about it quite a bit, that you said, even if he is dead, he is no less a hostage. Do you fear that -- that -- that is how it's being viewed?
CHEN: I hope so, you know. And as a U.S. citizen, you know, speaking to the State Department and to the White House, that's the message that I conveyed constantly to the former administration and to this administration. They promised me that that is the way that they look at -- look at it as well.
It took the president a while to understand the concept that we -- we were talking about. But, you know, if you've seen the last comments that he provided, he very much understands that.
And he is a U.S. citizen. There were 12 U.S. citizens that were taken initially. The former administration and this administration were able to get 10 out, now two left.
And I would hope to believe that this administration that speaks so highly about America first, and also that releasing hostages worldwide, they will do their best efforts as well, Mr. Witkoff and Mr. Kushner that are here, making sure that my son is one of the first that come out, allowing us to have, you know, I told you on this very sad chapter of two years.
BOLDUAN: Absolutely. Ruby Chen, we -- our hearts are with you in these coming days, for sure. Thank you so much for coming back in. I appreciate it.
John.
BERMAN: All right. Nor'easter, not the word we like to hear on the East Coast, this powerful storm with a possibility to make lives wet for millions of people.
Let's get right to seeing as Derek Van Dam for the latest on this. What are we looking at, Derek?
DEREK VAN DAM, CNN METEOROLOGIST: Yes. Unlike a classic wintertime nor'easter, it's just too warm to snow. Think of this in more tune with a strong tropical storm. The impacts will be similar.
And I want to show you it's developing off the southeast coast right now. Take note of the direction of the wind, east to northeast, and it's starting to pick up. That is because our developing coastal low is being sandwiched by a very strong high to the north.
So it's putting the squeeze on the pressure gradient, that creates this onshore wind component that will last four days along the entire eastern seaboard battering this location with winds in excess of 50 miles per hour. That churns up the seas, pushes up the waves and causes coastal flood concerns.
And I want to highlight Atlantic City, the Jersey coastline. Some of our computer models depicting, along with the normally -- abnormally high tide, this persistent onshore flow could bring some of the highest levels of water that we've seen in over a decade, even back towards Hurricane Sandy. We're talking 2012. So that's something to consider.
It will be a coastal concern for erosion and impacts. But look at the winds, especially as we head into the busy morning rush hour on Monday for New York City, gusting to 50 miles per hour.
Yes, you better believe it. It will cause some delays at the major northeast airports. And there's the rainfall threat over the East Coast as well. That could be a concern, John.
BERMAN: Some weather out west too, Derek?
VAN DAM: Yes. This is our second big story, a multiday flood threat occurring across the four corners region today.
We have a rare risk of -- moderate risk of flash flooding leading to this. We have the National Weather Service hoisting flood watches for many locations, including Utah and Arizona.
This is actually remnant moisture from a tropical system that's off the western or eastern Pacific. And that is going to over spread this area with two to upwards of four inches of rain. That's a lot, especially when we're talking about the dry desert southwest. So look out for flooding.
BERMAN: All right. Derek Van Dam, thank you very much for that.
All right. This morning, two house sitters in Orange County, California, charged with stealing more than $200,000 worth of items from a home. They were trusted to watch, including a baseball signed by famed Red Sox pitcher Babe Ruth.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
[8:55:08]
DAVE BAUER, HOMEOWNER: Safe was hidden, but they rummaged and managed to find the safe. And then it was a key safe. So they had a -- they -- the key was hidden up on top and some other items. So they found that, rummage found out and opened the safe up.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
BERMAN: Police say the thieves also stole a comic book collection worth about $15,000, as well as jewelry, credit cards, designer bags and foreign currency as well.
Newly released video shows the moment a Florida bus driver spots a child in the middle of a busy roadway turned out that child was lost. So the driver got out to help. Tampa State driver stayed with the boy until he was be -- able to be safely reunited with his family.
In Ohio, pumpkin on the lamb. Police body cam video shows officers chasing down a giant inflatable gourd. Really didn't look like much of a chase there. They seem to catch it pretty quickly. This was not a high-speed gourd chase.
They were able to wrestle it to submission bravely. They deflated it and stuffed it into a car. The department later joked that their officers went above and beyond the call of duty.
SIDNER: You're -- you're really making me laugh here, John. The writing was superb on that. Did you write that?
BERMAN: Never. Sara.
SIDNER: It was good nonetheless. And I'm glad you have me laughing because stick around. This might have you crying.
A report from the CDC revealing a stark rise in depression among children and adults across the country. CDC data between 2021 and 2023 shows depression is being felt by people 12 and older at nearly double the rate from just a decade ago today. I'm going to talk about it because today is World Mental Health Day.
Joining me now is Phillip Schermer, founder and CEO of Project Healthy Minds, the group behind the world's largest festival dedicated to mental health. Thank you so much for being here.
You have called mental health the mental health crisis a defining issue of our generation. Why is mental strife increasing?
PHILLIP SCHERMER, FOUNDER AND CHIEF EXECUTIVE OFFICER, PROJECT HEALTHY MINDS: Well, Sara, it's great to be with you. I think there are many reasons why it's rising. But if you take a step back, you've got 65 million Americans living with a mental health condition. That's four times the number of people diagnosed with cancer in this country.
Sixty percent of people don't get any form of care in their lifetimes. And for the people who do, it takes more than 11 years. And I think there are many factors.
But as Jonathan Haidt, the author of "The Anxious Generation" who is headlining today will say, I do think that social media is contributing to this.
SIDNER: Yes. I mean, is there still a -- a stigma? Even after we've seen athletes and celebrities openly talking about their mental health struggles, is there still a struggle with stigma that sort of keeps people from -- form sort of admitting and wanting to treat their -- their mental health issues? SCHERMER: Yes. Well, look, I think that we've graduated to the bottom of the second inning, but we've still got seven innings to go. And you're right, you see progress every day and people opening up more and more. But it's easy to confuse progress with arriving in the Promised Land. And we still need more leaders to be talking publicly about this issue.
It's great that younger generations are leading the way, but we need everyone. And I think this moment is about moving from awareness to action, that people should not only be talking more about mental health care, but that they should actually be seeking care and feel comfortable talking about that.
SIDNER: How does Project Healthy Mind help with that? Because your -- your website, it's -- it's -- it's free. You can go on there and -- and try to get some -- some tips and some -- and some help. How -- how is it helping?
SCHERMER: Yes. We'll think about it as sort of what open table is for booking restaurant reservations or what Expedia is for booking flights or hotels.
The whole idea was a front door on the internet for finding mental health services. So whether you're looking for a therapist or a psychiatrist and eating disorder service, substance use service, you want a peer support group or you need a crisis line, the whole vision was there should be a front door on the internet for finding mental health care in all of its forms.
SIDNER: Yes. It's certainly -- it's big and bold. And it talks about a lot of the issues. So I -- I just went through it and -- and it's -- it's quite good. It's quite interesting to see that out there and available for people and to see these numbers going up and up and up.
It is really disheartening.
Phillip Schermer, thank you so much for the work you do and for coming on.
A new hour of "CNN News Central" starts right now.
