What is this bear roadside attraction?

[Slache]

From DH:

To say that my memory is hazy would be a gross understatement. I recall at some point during my childhood stopping at what I can only describe as a bizarre roadside attraction. I recall a building, inside of which was a path leading through a large floral display. I believe there may have been cartoonish, possibly animatronic bears throughout the vast floral arrangements. I also seem to recall being told that many of the flowers were actually artificial flowers from President Kennedy’s funeral. I remember thinking at the time that it was a bizarre attraction and being confused as to why exactly we had made the stop. There may have been a gift shop, and possibly a restaurant attached, as well.

[Jean in Newcastle]

It would help to narrow down the region of the US that this was found in. 

[Slache]

6 minutes ago, Jean in Newcastle said:

It would help to narrow down the region of the US that this was found in. 

He doesn't know. He thinks VA, TN, KY, but doesn't know.

[Heatherwith4]

That sounds like something that would be in Pigeon Forge/Sevierville, TN.  I don’t know that for certain, though. 

[Elizabeth86]

1 hour ago, Slache said:

He doesn't know. He thinks VA, TN, KY, but doesn't know.

lmao, I'd about guarantee it.  

[Elizabeth86]

1 hour ago, Heatherwith4 said:

That sounds like something that would be in Pigeon Forge/Sevierville, TN.  I don’t know that for certain, though. 

I'd say so or maybe nc.

[Arctic Bunny]

I’m waiting for @Terabith to chime in and say it’s just down the street from the lighthouse and Putin’s brother.

[Terabith]

10 minutes ago, Arctic Bunny said:

I’m waiting for @Terabith to chime in and say it’s just down the street from the lighthouse and Putin’s brother.

Yeah, I got nothing.  Our neighborhood is unique, but that is not a part of it!

[Slache]

26 minutes ago, Terabith said:

Yeah, I got nothing.  Our neighborhood is unique, but that is not a part of it!

Look harder.

[Danae]

8 hours ago, Heatherwith4 said:

That sounds like something that would be in Pigeon Forge/Sevierville, TN.  I don’t know that for certain, though. 

Smokey Mountain Knifeworks in Sevierville apparently has an indoor river/waterfall and animatronic bears.

https://www.tripadvisor.com/LocationPhotoDirectLink-g55328-d1018189-i120769128-Smoky_Mountain_Knife_Works-Sevierville_Tennessee.html

 

[Slache]

41 minutes ago, Danae said:

Smokey Mountain Knifeworks in Sevierville apparently has an indoor river/waterfall and animatronic bears.

https://www.tripadvisor.com/LocationPhotoDirectLink-g55328-d1018189-i120769128-Smoky_Mountain_Knife_Works-Sevierville_Tennessee.html

 

Not it. Nice try!

[MercyA]

1 minute ago, Slache said:

Not it. Nice try!

What?!? How many strange bear and floral displays can there be in one area? The mystery deepens.

The 70's and 80's were weird. Animatronic bears everywhere, I guess. Showbiz Pizza. Disney World. Mystery locations. 

It wasn't a Cracker Barrel, was it? 😉 A Cabela's? Off to Google.

[theelfqueen]

Dang I was super impressed with the knife place! 

And OMG I forgot all about Showbiz pizza til this moment. 

[MercyA]

And let's not forget Teddy Ruxpin. 🧸

Slache, I spent too much time on www.roadsideamerica.com and I'm not seeing it. 

I'll try www.atlasobscura.com/categories/roadside-attractions.

[Heatherwith4]

11 hours ago, MercyA said:

What?!? How many strange bear and floral displays can there be in one area? The mystery deepens.

The 70's and 80's were weird. Animatronic bears everywhere, I guess. Showbiz Pizza. Disney World. Mystery locations. 

It wasn't a Cracker Barrel, was it? 😉 A Cabela's? Off to Google.

  There is a lot of that kind of stuff in Severville/ Pigeon Forge.  It is almost beyond parody.  😂 

 Before anyone thinks I’m dissing the area, we love to go there.  We just avoid the cheesier attractions.  

[Tap]

We traveled a lot in the 80-90s (West coast, so no help to your search) and I remember so many places that had that style of entertainment. They were places that made sense like Showbiz pizza. Once they seemed to loose their novelty, I remember them showing up in the oddest of places and thinking that they must have been old ones that people sold and these locations bought.  Due to that, I can imagine that some small quirky roadside place could have had a room set up like that. 

The plant life makes me wonder if it was part of a zoo, refuge, beach or forest tourist area.

[J-rap]

Is he sure it wasn't a dream?  😄 

[Amy in NH]

Could he have gone to a couple of different places and mixed them up in his mind?

Like maybe at Disney he saw the Country Bears Jamboree, and then the Epcot American Adventure, plus the flower gardens?

Or he went to a botanical garden followed by Chuck-E-Cheese?

We have Clark's Trading Post down the street, with real live bear shows - but that's different...

 

[sheryl]

My dh and I live in NC.  Moved here decades ago.  When I learned of the bear about 10 years ago I wanted to go but fall comes and October is such a busy month and then we miss the "window of time" the bear is seen.  Probably won't drive to see the bear in Feb/March because of possible snow-covered roads which we're used to as we're originally northerners but NC does not have the resources in manpower or equipment.  

We drove the 2 1/2 hours to see the bear this past Saturday even though the forecast called for clouds and cloudy it was.  I had hoped the clouds would part and allow the sun to part, which it did and then clouded over again.  We went ahead to the destination and saw the location of where the bear would be seen but it was cloudy so he didn't appear.  We'll go back another time.  Spring if clear roads or next fall.  We like the mountains and go when we can so even though it was cloudy we enjoyed our day trip.

https://www.discoverjacksonnc.com/attractions/shadow-of-the-bear/

[Drama Llama]

On 11/7/2020 at 7:45 PM, Terabith said:

Yeah, I got nothing.  Our neighborhood is unique, but that is not a part of it!

Yet

[Slache]

On 11/8/2020 at 9:46 PM, J-rap said:

Is he sure it wasn't a dream?  😄 

Nope. He used to do drugs, too.

[MercyA]

Is it possible it was a grocery store? This one in Cookeville, TN has been around for 50+ years and has animatronic bears:

http://www.springstmkt.com/our-story.html

Cuffy's t-shirt shop in Cape Cod?

http://cuffysofcapecod.blogspot.com/2011/12/cuffys-story.html

There were a TON of animatronic animals in pizza places in the 80's. For your viewing pleasure: https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PL9Zua4OMr62_UGvNA2NcioV7qdnymwhv5

Yeah, this is driving me crazy. 

GOOGLE MUST HAVE THE ANSWER! 

Edited November 12, 2020 by MercyA

[Slache]

1 hour ago, MercyA said:

Is it possible it was a grocery store? This one in Cookeville, TN has been around for 50+ years and has animatronic bears:

http://www.springstmkt.com/our-story.html

Cuffy's t-shirt shop in Cape Cod?

http://cuffysofcapecod.blogspot.com/2011/12/cuffys-story.html

There were a TON of animatronic animals in pizza places in the 80's. For your viewing pleasure: https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PL9Zua4OMr62_UGvNA2NcioV7qdnymwhv5

Yeah, this is driving me crazy. 

GOOGLE MUST HAVE THE ANSWER! 

You are trying so hard! I'm sorry!

39 minutes ago, Thatboyofmine said:

I've googled, too.    When I read the first post, I thought country bear jamboree immediately.  Obviously, that's not it, but it really sounds like it.    

@slache any chance his parents or sibling would know?  
 

No one does! I think he's been making it up for 14 years just to mess with you guys.

[MercyA]

The truth is out there. 👽🌻🐻