'Thirsty bear' casually strolls into bottle store
Liquor store employees in Connecticut had to think quickly to prevent a disaster when a bear wandered into their establishment.
Working at a liquor store can be challenging for a number of reasons, not least of all the variety of patrons and their quirks.
People can be very demanding when it comes to their drinks and, in the worst cases, they could already be a little bit drunk when they walk into the shop. In all cases, employees are trained to handle the situation efficiently and professionally.
And it seems that training extends to even the most unexpected scenario.
The manager of Crazy Bruce's Liquor Store in Bristol, Connecticut had to keep calm and immediately tap into all his crisis management skills when a black bear activated the sensor of the front door and let itself into the shop. The bear appears to jog up to the door, clearly planning to enter the shop.
As soon as it is spotted, the second door to the shop is locked. The bear did not get close enough to see if anything on offer on the shelves was to its liking.
In a moment that shows how quickly things could have gone very wrong, a man walks in close behind the bear, completely oblivious to the animal's presence. The store manager rushes the man inside, shouting: "There’s a bear there, get into the store!"
Had the second man startled the bear, the story would have turned out very differently.
The bear eventually walks out of the same door. Neither the animal nor the people inside the store were hurt in the incident.