Victoria Puyol and Joshua Card were marking their seventh wedding anniversary in Gatlinburg, Tennessee, when a surprise visitor entered the city’s popular tea shop, The Spice & Tea Exchange. The couple had stopped at the shop on Friday to enjoy a break from their sightseeing when Card noticed the animal near the entrance and shouted, “There’s a bear.”
At first Puyol did not register the situation, but after Card and the store clerk repeated the warning, she turned and saw a young black bear standing in the doorway. The pair recalled standard advice to back away from bears, yet as they stepped back the bear moved farther into the store, prompting the clerk to guide them behind the register where an emergency exit was accessible.
Bear explores the shop
Inside, the bear appeared more curious than aggressive. It began tearing into a sweet‑tea blend and poked at tea diffusers while a small crowd gathered outside the shop. An employee from a neighboring store sounded an air horn, but the noise did not deter the animal.
Card began recording the encounter on his phone. “Hey, what you doing there, buddy?” he can be heard asking the bear in the video. The animal then turned and leapt onto the counter, causing Card to step back. Puyol later described the moment, saying, “He’s talking to this thing like it’s a puppy. It’s a bear, not a puppy.”
Couple’s reaction and background
Card, a military veteran with lifeguard experience, said his training helped shape his response, though he was unsure whether to intervene or simply give the bear space. “This didn’t really feel like an emergency,” he said. “It felt unpredictable to me.” He added that the bear seemed more inquisitive than threatened, noting, “He didn’t really seem threatened. Even when he jumped up on the counter, I was like, okay, I’m going to take a step back.”
Puyol said she was shocked rather than frightened. “I wasn’t scared. I was just shocked,” she explained. “I wasn’t like, ‘Oh my God, it’s a bear, I’m going to die.’ It was just a wild animal eight feet away.” She also recalled that she had hoped to see a bear during the trip, but not up close. “Be careful what you wish for because I wanted to see a bear, not that up close and personal,” she said.
Exit and safety
The clerk eventually pointed out a second‑floor exit, but the bear ran out of the shop before the couple needed to use it. After the animal left, Card and the clerk shut the door and waited to ensure the area was safe before exiting themselves. Puyol estimated the entire encounter lasted about ten to fifteen minutes.
Store employees told the couple that the bear appeared to be a repeat visitor, having entered the shop earlier in the week. The shop had even posted a photo of the bear with the caption, “This young bear came into our shop today, snagged some sugar and came back for more!”
Local impact
The incident adds to a series of recent bear sightings in the Great Smoky Mountains National Park area, which have prompted temporary trail closures and heightened awareness among tourists and local businesses. While the encounter was startling, both visitors and staff reported no injuries.
For the couple, the unexpected wildlife visitor turned their anniversary celebration into a story they will never forget. “The trip has been filled with oddities, and this just kind of… fuels that whole experience,” Card said.
Fox News Digital has reached out to The Spice & Tea Exchange for additional details.
Original reporting: Fox News (HLL/CB) — read the source article.
