Build your own stuffed animal store opens in Okanagan

Build a Furry Friend Toy Lodge has opened in West Kelowna and is inviting families with young ones to start a special new relationship.

“It becomes a best friend for a child, they talk to them and confide in them,” said Cori Inman, president of Beacons Furry FUNdation Society. Beacons is a children’s charity based in the Thompson Okanagan and profits from the Toy Lodge support the society.

Making a unique plush creature is always a fun adventure, Inman said. There are animals from every ecosystem, including house pets and creatures from the ice age. And there are countless ways to dress and accessorize the plush animals.

“There’s always something for everybody,” she said.

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An important part of the process is having the new stuffed animal owner owner sign the adoption certificate, Inman said. It requires the young teddy owners to promise to always love and care for their new stuffed animal and to make sure they go on lots of fun adventures together.

In addition to personal responsibility, the furry friends also promote environmental responsibility, as 50% of the stuffing is fibres made from recycled water bottles.

The store opened June 11 and can be found in unit 16 at 1515 Westgate Rd. in West Kelowna.

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