A salon owner said Google removed several one-star reviews that appeared after a disagreement with a Muslim customer who wanted to ensure no men were present during her appointments.
Kelly Sullivan, TikTok username @halohairkelly, shared the incident through a video. The video also has an update about the ratings in the description.
The dispute began when the customer returned to finish a haircut and found that a male stylist was still inside the salon, despite her request for an appointment when no men would be present.
Customer Disputed Salon’s Privacy Arrangements
Sullivan explained that the customer had previously received her hair treatment in a private room, but the salon had since been remodeled and no longer had that space.
The customer then requested an appointment when no men would be present. The salon offered her a Tuesday because its male stylist did not work that day.
However, the customer’s hair coloring, Brazilian blowout and haircut took longer than expected. She had to leave before the stylist could finish her haircut and returned the following day.
Sullivan said staff had offered a time when the male stylist was not expected to be working with a client. However, he was still inside the building when the customer arrived.
Owner Explained Why She Could Not Guarantee a Men-Free Salon
Sullivan said the customer became upset because she believed the salon had promised that no men would be present. Her husband also called to discuss the situation.
The owner explained that the salon could not prevent men from entering during regular business hours.
“We have service workers, we have delivery people, we have men that get their hair cut there,” she said.
She offered an after-hours appointment with the doors locked to guarantee privacy, but explained that the arrangement would involve an additional fee.
Sullivan also said the customer’s haircut remained unfinished because she needed to leave early, not because the stylist failed to complete the service.
Salon Owner Said Multiple Reviews Affected Its Rating
Sullivan said the customer thanked her hairstylist after the appointment, telling her, “I love the way you do my hair,” but added that she might visit another salon in the future.
About 20 minutes later, the business received a one-star Google review criticizing the owner’s behavior, prices and customer service.
Sullivan said two more negative reviews subsequently appeared. One reportedly described the salon as dirty and smelly, while another criticized its prices and punctuality. She reported the reviews to Google and said the repeated ratings had brought the salon’s score down to 4.5.
“It’s vindictive. It’s like, it’s really frustrating,” she said, describing the disappointment among the salon staff.
Google Removed the Reviews and Restored the Salon’s Rating
In the same video, Sullivan shared, “Google has removed our new reviews from our clients and dropped us back to a 4.6 rating.”
However, she added that some people reported they could no longer find the salon’s Google page. Sullivan also asked other business owners whether they had experienced similar problems with Google reviews and people allegedly misusing the platform to hurt their businesses.
How Viewers Reacted
Many viewers commented in Kelly’s favor. One said, “People who require such accommodations need to find a salon that caters to them specifically.”
Another said, “Could you use a privacy screen? Obviously idk exactly how your salon is set up, but could someone like this be used?” and shared an image of the said screen.
Another viewer, who is a salon owner, replied, “As a salon owner of 38 years, absolutely not. They need to either find a halal salon or pay someone to come to their home.”
One user also stated, “My religion also requires that no men see my natural hair. I would never expect a salon to keep all males out. I either find a salon with a private back room or go to a stylist who works from their home. They were unreasonable.”
