Local Businessman Riles Social Media Defending His Talent

There were no apologies to be had.

Gent’s Club Barbershop Owner Peter Hollander admits he is not very social media savvy. While he has run his shop for three years, he had not posted anything to the business’ Facebook page for nearly a year until he recently posted pictures of a barber pole with a message to a friend he was giving it to. It was a few days later he stumbled upon and responded to a 10-month-old negative comment by Tori Weimer (of Bellingham according to her Facebook profile) posted on a picture of one of his customers sporting a unique bear claw haircut (see picture).

Hollander chose, perhaps unfortunately, to also respond in a negative tone. And from there, it took off. So much so, Hollander’s phone was ringing constantly while he spoke with Discover Ferndale about a social media dustup that had started only a couple hours before.

Hollander was aware of the blow-up that followed the exchange he had with Weimer. His phone started ringing shortly after it was posted to Facebook groups, “Bellingham/PNW On Blast” and “Ferndale Neighbors.” The callers were not people he knew and they were not being pleasant. According to Hollander, that was okay. “They can call me names. That’s not a problem,” said Hollander. “But, I’m not going to stand by when they attack my talent, I’m not going to let that go any further.”

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By the strictest definitions, Hollander’s responses when Weimer referred to the haircut as “horrible” were personally insulting and derogatory. In one comment Holland tells Weimer, “I hope ally our family dies and hope you’ll have breast cancer or get raped by a terrorist or a Mexican immigrant. [sic]” When asked about that, he offered no apologies. “Most of what I put on Facebook is positive, except for today.”

There are those who know of and were not swayed by the social media exchange and backlash like Kendra Cristelli who said, “He cuts my boys’ hair and does a great job. Peter is always very polite and professional.”  But there are also others who share Weimer’s sentiments about Hollander’s responses, “completely uncalled for and will never again receive my business.”