Bear-y Kind Move: Vera Bradley Ends Sales at Three Bears General Store in Protest

For Immediate Release:
August 13, 2026

Contact:
Moira Colley 202-483-7382

After hearing how the black bears confined at Three Bears General Store suffer in a barren, decrepit concrete pit, bag and luggage company Vera Bradley has confirmed to PETA that it has cut ties with the roadside attraction and will no longer sell its merchandise at the store. In thanks for the kind move, PETA is sending the company delicious vegan chocolates.

“Every purchase made at Three Bears General Store supports the suffering of bears who are condemned to pace in endless circles and beg for scraps from tourists,” says PETA Foundation Managing Director of Captive Wildlife Debbie Metzler. “PETA welcomes Vera Bradley’s compassionate decision and urges the public to avoid this sleazy operation until it releases the bears to a reputable sanctuary, so that they can finally feel the earth beneath their feet.”

At Three Bears General Store—which has racked up a history of violations of federal animal welfare laws—black bears River, Daisy, and Dolly are denied any semblance of a natural life, confined 24/7 to a barren concrete pit where visitors gawk at them. Bears love to climb and explore, and they develop strong bonds with their mothers. Roadside zoos routinely take bears just like these three away from their distraught mothers as cubs to be exploited for attractions.

PETA is calling on Simply Southern, BrüMate, Pura Vida, Tervis, and Funko—all of which sell merchandise at Three Bears General Store—to follow Vera Bradley’s lead and reconsider their relationship with the roadside attraction.

PETA—whose motto reads, in part, that “animals are not ours to use for entertainment”—points out that when it comes to the ability to feel pain, hunger, and thirst, a bear is a dog is a boy. For more information, please visit PETA.org or follow PETA on X, Facebook, or Instagram.