Build-A-Bow

08/06/2025

Thank you so much for the support! The alpacas look snazzy 😂😂😂❤️❤️

08/05/2025

Why I’m Closing Build-A-Bow 🦋
After 10 years....

I started this company at 9 years old and spent half my life running a national brand, taking college business courses at 11, and designing pieces that made headlines. But over the past few years, I’ve found a new passion. Health, nature, and healing.

I’ve been working on a sustainable farm over 4 years, caring for rescue animals, and I’m now launching FarmFit, an outdoor wellness program rooted in movement and community. Ive been teaching children how to eat healthy and grow food. We even invented a toy that feeds kids for 8 weeks, food they grow themselves. We have donated over 200 of them to schools.

Before I go, I want to highlight one last piece: the Monarch Butterfly Bowtie. I designed it at just 10 years old and flew to Seattle with my mom to build it by hand. It’s always represented transformation, and this is mine.

For the next 24 hours only, the Monarch is 50% off. I’ve never discounted it before.

Thank you for supporting me all these years.
Let’s see what this next chapter brings 🦋

— Alex Upendo

www.buildabowbyalex.com

08/04/2025

In just 4 days, the Build-A-Bow website will be shutting down. It’s surreal to see this chapter come to an end.Every bow has a story, and every customer helped shape this journey. As I reflect on everything we’ve accomplished, one moment that stands out is being able to work with organizations like Feeding America donating food and resources to families in need and raising awareness about world hunger.As a child born to a homeless teen parent, I took great pride in being able to feed the unhoused alongside my mother. We also helped offer tools like financial literacy programs and opened food pantries at schools to support families long-term.Thank you so much for all of your support and your orders none of this would have been possible without you. It truly means the world to me. Inventory has been updated and prices have been lowered, so let’s go out with a bang! www.buildabowbyalex.com

08/03/2025

Only 5 days left until the Build-a-bow website shuts down It’s been an incredible journey filled with kindness, creativity, and countless smiles shared around the world. I’m so grateful for everyone who’s been part of this mission.Over the years, we’ve accomplished so much together. Some of my favorite memories are of helping others and spreading awareness through our designs. As we count down to the website’s closure on August 8th, I’ll be sharing some highlights and milestones that meant the most to me.Of all the products I’ve created, the one that stands out most is the monarch butterfly bow tie a one of a kind hand designed piece. It’s bold, beautiful, and it's my favorite.Everyday until the site closes, prices are being marked down as a thank you for your support over the years. Thank you for every order, kind message, and moment of encouragement. You helped make this dream a reality. Www.buildabowbyalex.com

08/01/2025

To everyone who has supported me since I was 9 years old, thank you.
It’s been almost four years since I last showed up publicly on this page, but I’ve never stopped doing the work. While Build-A-Bow ran in the background, I was out in the world, lteaching kids how to be kind, working with rescued animals, and learning everything I could about health, healing, and nature.

As a homeschooled student, I dove headfirst into every course I could take, finding comfort in nature during a time when my life took an unexpected turn. I was awarded a full-ride college scholarship for life, the first of its kind in nearly 100 years of that schools existence, only to watch the school declare bankruptcy 1 year before I could even begin. It rocked me.

That loss sparked anxiety, panic attacks, and deep reflection but it also lit a new fire in me. I started healing through nature, through service, and through my community.

For those who’ve followed me since the beginning, you’ve watched me grow up.
Together, we’ve…

🎗 Won a Guinness World Record for the fastest bow tie
🏆 Received an Emmy Award alongside my mom (a moment I’ll never forget)
🗓 Celebrated Alex Upendo Day – September 30th by proclamation
💸 Invested over $80,000 into Wisconsin community programs
📸 Been featured in GQ Magazine, Scholastic, Us Cellular commercial, and even worked with the President
🧵 Designed and Walked in New York Fashion Week in collaboration with ny mom. We even met Naomi Campbell, I'll never forget her telling me I was
"Brilliant" me and my mom were even featured on the same show as her and the GQ magazine.
📚 Used our platform to fight bullying, encourage entrepreneurship, and make kindness cool. We even changed laws together!
👔 Shipped thousands of handmade bows around the globe 🌎

And most importantly… we built a community of love. As the first Black child in Wisconsin to receive a college scholarship for life, I defied statistics. My father was in prison and I was raised by a mother determined to rewrite the narrative, and we did.

Today, I’m 18 years old. I’m officially Class of 2025( I graduated 9 months early) And I’ve made the decision to let Build-A-Bow take its final bow.

🎓 All bow ties are now $20.25 to honor my class of 2025.
🕯The site will go dark on August 8th, as I close this chapter with deep gratitude.
🦋 The Monarch Butterfly bow tie, the one I designed with my mom in Seattle and only one of its kind! Will still live on our our family’s Etsy .

But this is not goodbye.
I’m building something new, fusing health, wellness, and nature. I’m working toward opening my very first Nature Gym experience in collaboration with our family farm in Georgia. I’ll be using proceeds from this final sale to help bring that dream to life, starting with hosting my first community class later this year.

To every customer, mentor, friend, and supporter, thank you.
Thank you for believing in that nerdy little Black boy with big dreams and bow ties.
This isn’t the end. It’s just a new beginning.
With all my love,

Alex Upendo
Founder, Build-A-Bow
Class of 2025
https://buildabowbyalex.com/
Upendo Estates Farm

04/09/2020

Our mask making production is temporarily on hold until we find more elastic. Unfortunately our cities craft stores have now all closed temporarily. Amazon shows an in stock delivery by the 18th. We would like to add the police department to our efforts but cannot without elastic. If you have access to 1/4 inch elastic, please consider sending it to help contribute to our mask making efforts. We DO NOT sell masks, ALL masks we have made have been 100% donated to healthcare workers. We will NOT make masks for profit, not even for separate requests. Also, we recieve many spam messages here on Facebook so we rarely check our inbox, to contact us please send an email to [email protected]. If you would like to contribute elastic to our mask making efforts, our P.O box is:

Build-A-Bow

P.O BOX 1491

Racine, WI 53403

Thank you in advance, we love you all!!

* Thank you for all the suggestions, we will be playing around with our pattern in the meantime to see what works best in place of the elastic. Please stay safe everyone ♡♡

04/04/2020

The chalk washed mostly away last night, but this project was so much fun! What are you all doing to keep busy, and stay safe?

04/03/2020

We want to start a challenge here locally in Racine. With all of us being in Quarantine, going for a walk around the block has been such a relief. We thought how cool would it be if every house was decorated, sidewalks covered in hearts, colors, and rainbows? I think we could all use some color these days! Today we decorated our home, in Hope's of letting people know there are Better Days to Come ❤🧡💛💚💙💜 .. We wanted to give the families in the neighborhood, something to look at on their walks around the block. We made a wishing tree so that people can write a wish for the world on a heart, and make our tree bigger. It was so amazing to look out the window and see people smiling and taking selfies with their hearts and leaving notes. Each color represents a sector in the essential worker workforce. Use the hashtag If you decide to join in on the fun, please post a picture below!!

*You don't have to do a whole house, maybe just a heart on the sidewalk or in your window

* The table is set up with sanitizer

04/02/2020

Happy World Autism Day!
❤🧡💛💚💙💜🧩

03/24/2020

🗣🗣Free Handmade Medical Masks are Available at the
" One Stop" convenience store in Racine (1711 Main st). In settings where facemasks are not available, HCP might use homemade masks (e.g., bandana, scarf) for care of patients with COVID-19 as a last resort," the CDC states in the plan.

However, homemade masks are not considered PPE, since their capability to protect HCP is unknown. Caution should be exercised when considering this option. Homemade masks should ideally be used in combination with a face shield that covers the entire front (that extends to the chin or below) and sides of the face.

If you are a Healthcare Professional or know of any, please Share this post and go get yourself a Free mask! Thank you for your service from us here at Build-A-Bow. If any other volunteers would like to join in this initiative, We have created an easy 4 minute DIY video tutorial link here: https://youtu.be/_cz1B3muugs. After the production of your masks, they can be left with IAN the owner of the convenience store. Or you can contact other convenience stores in your neighborhood, and ask if they would be willing to be a host location for the free masks. We made a bunch of different patterns, you can choose whatever you'd like once you get there! These masks are Unisex and for Adults.

03/24/2020

🗣🗣This is a call to action for all makers and small businesses. The CDC has recommended as a last resort, using handmade masks in place of nothing for healthcare workers. Healthcare workers are risking their lives daily, without the proper tools due to a global shortage of masks. I have created a super easy 4 min hospital mask tutorial for you to protect yourselves. I understand that materials are hard to come by right now. These masks can be created using an old shirt, rubber bands, hair ties and a piece of paper as a template if need be. You do not need a sewing machine for this pattern, a needle and thread will work just as well (add 4 minutes to the time for finished product).

We have worked out a deal with "One stop" in Racine, WI on main st (1711 Main st). Me and my parents will be making masks for Donation and I will be walking to drop them off at the "one stop" convenience store. All you need to do is show your healthcare ID, to get one for free. I ask that makers and small businesses join me in this initiative to make masks and drop them off at the one stop. We can only make, what we have access too. Unfortunately here at Build-A-Bow we work with mostly silks, satins and polys. We are very limited on 100% cotton fabric, as well as elastic bands. We have no access to materials, we have 2 people in our home that are immunocompromised. So leaving to shop for materials is not an option. We can not do this alone, now is the time we work together to help our healthcare workers stay safe. Please join me in this initiative! Even if you can only make 1 or 2 masks, that's still 1 or 2 healthcare workers being helped!

Materials:
Scissors

Two 6×9 inch fabric 100% cotton- Use an old shirt for fabric if you have no access to fabric

Two 7 inch elastic bands- Use rubber bands or hair ties if you have no access to elastic or even yarn. Be creative use what you have available.

Straight pins or clips

sewing machine or needle and thread

Materials: Scissors Two 6×9 inch fabric 100% cotton- Use an old shirt for fabric if you have no access to fabric Two 7 inch elastic bands- Use rubber bands o...

03/20/2020

Keeping our community safe is a matter of public responsibility. The governor has announced an executive order to stop mass gatherings of more than 10 people. Some of our city’s small businesses are now making the very difficult decision to close their doors for the time being, doing their part to prevent community spread even at great financial cost.

This is incredibly painful, we please ask that you keep us in business by shopping online, and stay tuned for other creative ways to support. Our favorite season is prom season, every year we look forward to designing and creating for your special moments. We have decided to refund all deposits for prom special orders and Wedding's through August, it isn't fair to you for us to keep your deposits for things out of your control. Those deposits should hit accounts within the next 3-4 business days. We have also canceled all speaking contracts through the end of May, which is also extremely painful. We want nothing more than to design for you and travel to your events, but we must do our part in social distancing during this quarantine process

So many small businesses are terrified and struggling, I ask that you please keep us in mind. If you have the option to shop online vs. a big box store I ask that you make the choice to support locally first. We have a family of 5, we built a manufacturing studio in our home. Unfortunately, with the state order even having our team in the studio or seamstresses over puts us over the amount allowed to produce. You will see online we have a lot of bows out of stock within the next few days, its because without our entire team I cannot print the rolls needed for designs, nor keep up with production with only 2 people. Large orders of 50+ bows will also be refunded. Trust us, we hate this more than anything but we want your families safe more than we want to make bow ties.

During this time I ask that you reflect on the things most important to you, create moments of laughter, journal if you need to relieve stress and tell your loved ones you love them. Our country as a collective is under a lot of stress, I ask that you be kind and love thy neighbor. We love all of you so so much, and we could have never imagined ever getting this far in our journey's. This isn't Goodbye forever we hope, just for see you later for now. Whatever your beliefs system is, we ask that you keep us in your thoughts. We love you all!! We are looking forward to the Future!

* Amazon also has stopped receiving fulfillment, we can not stock our books or bow ties to the distribution warehouse. You can always purchase our books from Barnes and Noble-
https://m.barnesandnoble.com/w/?ean=9780464351337&st=AFF&SID=Barnes+%26+Noble&2sid=Goodreads%2C+Inc_2227948_NA&sourceId=AFFGoodreads%2C+Inc&cjevent=0e2f8d326aee11ea8105032b0a240610&dpid=tekz25v83
or from www.theupendolibrary.com as well as Walmart and Blurb.