The call came at 3:58 a.m. The Pigeon Forge Fire Department was on the line — and Three Bears General Store was on fire.
Owner Fran Delozier still tells the story in disbelief.
Just minutes after making the September 2008 call, she and her family stood along the parkway that stretches into the Great Smoky Mountains National Park, watching the family business burn. Firefighters from three departments battled the blaze while one question consumed everyone at the scene: What about the bears?
“My concern was the bears and my staff,” Delozier says of the resident black bears in the encounter, where the store offers education while preserving wildlife. “The bears are part of our family.”
Three Bears General Store is filled with plenty of bear plush, bear decor and more.
Photos: Don Fields
The original 7,000-square-foot store was destroyed. Less than a year later, it reopened on a grander scale as a 40,000-square-foot shopping and entertainment destination that has become a landmark in Pigeon Forge, Tennessee.
Looking back, Delozier calls the fire “a blessing in disguise,” though a devastating one. She’s grateful that casualties amounted to infrastructure and merchandise.
Some souvenir stores are places to shop. Three Bears General Store is much more than a store. For nearly five decades, the family-owned business has become a tradition for generations of travelers. Visitors come to feed the live black bears, pose with the iconic bear statue and browse thousands of souvenirs. They can watch fudge being made, shop the Christmas store and leave with bags full of memories.
Many even know Three Bears as “the Jesus Saves store,” thanks to the marquee sign that’s become almost as recognizable as the business itself. It’s a fitting landmark for a store that’s experienced its own remarkable revival, Delozier points out.
“We’ve always said we’re a destination and a one-stop shop,” she says. “We have multigenerational families who come back year after year.”
Far-reaching retail
Walk through the front doors and it’s easy to understand why families stay awhile. The store combines retail with entertainment.
Guests can visit the live bear habitat, enjoy old-time photos, browse toys and apparel, sample Amish jams and dip mixes, cool off with homemade fudge or ice cream, and shop for Christmas ornaments all year round.
“Our philosophy has always been that there’s something here for everyone,” Delozier says. “Everybody can find something. If grandpa wants to look at pocketknives, mom wants Christmas ornaments, the kids want candy or stuffed animals and dad wants T-shirts, it’s all here.”
That broad appeal has become one of the store’s biggest strengths.
“When everybody finds something they want, it’s a better experience,” she relates.
With more than 100,000 products throughout the store, buying is an art and a constant learning process. Delozier spends time at markets looking for products that reflect current trends while staying true to what visitors expect from a Smoky Mountain destination. She also leans heavily on the people closest to the customer.
“I listen to my employees,” she says. “They’re the ones talking to customers every day. They’ll tell me what people are asking for.”
Just as important is knowing when it’s time to move on. That willingness to evolve has shaped everything from merchandise categories to new attractions throughout the store. “We’re always looking for the next thing,” she says. “You have to keep changing because your customers are changing.”
General store variety
Ask Delozier where the shop tour begins, and she immediately starts mapping the customer journey. Visitors entering Three Bears General Store are greeted by toys, drinkware from brands like Swig and BrüMate, along with Siesta Cups, and aisles dedicated to one of the store’s signature themes: black bears. Polyresin figurines, Wayne Carver carvings and bear-themed gifts immediately establish a sense of place.
Many shirts come with the destination name drop.
From there, the store naturally flows into a specialty foods department stocked with hot sauces, jams, jellies, soup mixes and dessert mixes. Sampling is part of the experience. Team members prepare dips, soups and seasonal ciders while sharing recipes and product suggestions with customers.
“They can recommend recipes for the customers who come in,” Delozier says.
Fresh fudge is made throughout the day in full view of shoppers, while longtime confectioner Lonnie — who has spent decades at Three Bears — prepares caramel from scratch. The ice cream shop keeps the experience going with hand-dipped ice cream, gelato, milkshakes, root beer floats, shaved ice and trend-forward treats like ice cream nachos and, soon, dirty sodas. “We’re always looking at what’s trending,” she says.
Around the next corner, there are souvenir mugs, tumblers, magnets and shot glasses, which share space with home decor, figurines and themed collections that change with the seasons. Bigfoot has become one of the store’s biggest draws, earning dedicated displays in both hard goods and apparel. Jeep merchandise expands each fall during popular Jeep events.
“We try to see what’s coming into the city and showcase it,” Delozier says.
That same philosophy shapes apparel. The sportsman department features brands including Local Boy and Dr. Squatch, while Evergreen Flags & Decor celebrate everything from spring gardens and patriotic holidays to football season. A new line, Lulu Mac, is moving fast in the women’s apparel section, while Simply Southern is a staple along with name-drop by Baypointe Apparel that crosses departments.
Upstairs, Pandora has become one of the store’s strongest categories, supported by five certified Pandora specialists and complemented by jewelry from Barry-Owen Co. and Pura Vida. Waterproof jewelry has emerged as one of the latest customer requests.
“The biggest thing now is waterproof jewelry,” Delozier says.
Locally made jellies and jams come in a wide variety of flavors at Three Bears General Store.
The toy department follows the same formula of balancing timeless favorites with what’s trending. Ty remains one of the store’s top vendors because it continually refreshes its assortment with the latest licensed characters, while Nature Planet and NeeDoh by Schylling help round out a plush department where black bears remain perennial bestsellers.
Upstairs, families discover even more reasons to linger.
Visitors can feed the store’s live black bears, explore an expansive plush department, browse Warmies, puppets and toys, pose for old-time photos or wander through a year-round Christmas shop filled with personalized ornaments, Department 56 villages, Willow Tree figurines, Disney collectibles, Coca-Cola memorabilia, John Deere gifts and seasonal decor.
“We want to give people a reason to slow down, discover something new and make memories with their families,” says Deloizer.
What’s next?
The fire may have created an opportunity to build a larger store, but Delozier says the real growth has come from refusing to become comfortable.
As Three Bears evolves, tradition is stitched into this place like a well-worn quilt. Many visitors who first discovered Three Bears as children now return with families of their own.
“We’re part of their vacation,” she says. “We’re part of their tradition.”
Kids can pick out name-drop bear plush from the store.
Those traditions have helped make Three Bears one of the most recognizable retail destinations in Pigeon Forge. And the store’s legacy is moving forward with Delozier’s own family — her sons, Daniel and Alex, and now a 2-year-old grandson “who runs the office,” she quips.
“We are fortunate to have the next generation coming in, and it keeps you forward in business,” Delozier says.
Also, longtime staff including Misty Porter and Tina Sucato join a team of associates who are loyal to the business.
Fresh perspectives and veteran insight help Delozier balance the general store’s past with what customers want today while anticipating the future.
“I don’t ever want to be stagnant,” she says. “We’re always asking ourselves, ‘What’s next?’ Because if you’re standing still, you’re falling behind.”
