"Bear with us" took on a whole new meaning when the bear casually walked past Alur Studios salon while stylist Jessica Ruiz was doing hair this week.
"I thought it was a big dog and then I looked. And I'm like 'is that a bear? Oh wait, there's a bear'."
She and her colleagues took a moment to get their bearings.
"It looked like he was just going out for a cruise... Just strolling by."
Barber Nino Saunders said it was the first time he's ever seen something like that in his life.
He ran out of the salon to get a closer look.
"I don't know how fast a bear is but I saw it run and it was pretty fast. I think it was like faster than a dog... Everybody at the gas station was kind of hiding inside the gas station because they saw the bear, too," Saunders said.
The salon's security camera spotted the bera around 2 p.m. taking a leisurely walk behind the strip mall near some tennis courts before it moved toward the front of the salon.
The extreme heat is likely what sent the big bear down the mountain looking for ways to keep cool.
"I know the bear was probably thirsty. It was looking for some water. For sure."
Wildlife experts say if you ever encounter a bear, you should make yourself look big and slowly back away from it. It's never a good idea to follow. If you see one in your neighborhood, call 911.