A couple visiting Gatlinburg for their seventh anniversary recalled the surreal moment a young bear wandered into a store, rummaged through tea and jumped onto the counter just feet away from them.
A couple's anniversary getaway took a wild turn when a bear strolled into a Gatlinburg tea shop and began rummaging through merchandise before suddenly jumping onto the counter in a startling encounter caught on video.
The couple, Victoria Puyol and Joshua Card, were visiting Gatlinburg to celebrate their seventh anniversary when they stopped at The Spice & Tea Exchange on Friday, which is where Card spotted an unexpected visitor near the entrance.
At first, Puyol said she didn't quite process what was happening, but when Card and the store clerk repeated themselves, she turned and saw the animal standing in the doorway.
HIDDEN DANGER AT POPULAR US NATIONAL PARK FORCES TRAIL CLOSURES AS BEAR SIGHTINGS CLIMB
Joshua Card first spotted the bear standing near the entrance of the tea shop before the animal ventured farther inside. (Victoria Puyol and Joshua Card)
The couple recalled guidance to back away from bears, but as they stepped away, the bear ventured farther into the store. The clerk directed them behind the register, where they had access to an emergency exit.
The curious intruder appeared particularly interested in the shop's inventory, tearing into a sweet-tea blend and investigating tea diffusers as a crowd gathered outside. An employee from a neighboring store sounded an air horn, the couple said, but it appeared to have little effect on the bear.
Card began recording as the bear approached the counter.
"Hey, what you doing there, buddy?" Card can be heard saying in the video.
BLACK BEARS INVADE LAKE TAHOE HOMES AS BREAK-INS SURGE AND LOCALS FORTIFY DEFENSES
A bear suddenly jumped onto the counter inside a Gatlinburg tea shop as Joshua Card recorded the unusual encounter. (Victoria Puyol and Joshua Card)
The bear then turned and jumped onto the counter, prompting Card to step backward.
"He's talking to this thing like it's a puppy," Puyol recalled. "It's a bear. It's not a puppy. It's a bear."
Card said he initially thought the animal might have been a "show bear" on a leash with a handler nearby because they were in such a populated area. He quickly realized it was a wild bear.
