Rocks hair salon

[sharon21b]

After reading the reviews of Rocks Hair Salon on this site, I thought I would check it out myself for a hair cut, unfortunately I didn't get through the door. It was my mother and me Saturday morning before last, we saw that he was open and tried to open the door, it was locked so I rang the bell despite the hairdresser whom I presume to be this famous Miguel right by the window attending to a customer. Now I can understand that he might want to give his customer his undivided attention but he didn't even attempt to acknowledge us and he must have spotted us from the corner of his eye. I don't know why this is, but all that came to mind was that he didn't 'do Afro hair', (I'm black, my mother mixed), and felt there was a bit if racism going on. I don't mind if a hair salon doesn't cater for our hair but to totally ignore us was absolutely rude and embarrassing. It's a shame as we live on Camberwell Grove and the salon would have been handy especially for my elderly mother and it would've saved me a journey trekking all the way over to Maida Vale to have my hair done properly! Very disappointed, to any black people thinking of going to Rocks Hair Salon, DON'T BOTHER!!!

[Sue]

Are you sure it was open?

If the door was locked, could the "customer" not have been a member of staff, or a friend or relative, for example?

I know nothing whatsover about Rocks, but I wouldn't have thought it would be in any establishment's interests to be racist in an ethnically diverse area??

[sharon21b]

Sue, it was a 'customer', as I saw him leaving when I walked out of the shop next door and also there was a woman sitting there on her mobile at the time as well when I glanced in the window whilst walking by I saw that she was having her hair washed by Miguel. Even if it was closed although the sign said open he could have still acknowledged us there's no excuse. I am also surprised by this behaviour as you say it is a very mixed area but I don't know what else to call it other than straight racism and believe me I'm one of the last people to play the racist card as I see people first not colour as I was raised in a very mixed family and environment and I don't think I have experienced much if any racism before.

[Sue]

I suppose the thing is, you don't know why the door was locked (why would he have the door locked if the place was open to paying customers?).

His behaviour was only rude if he had definitely seen you, and you say "he must have spotted us from the corner of his eye", so presumably he wasn't looking in your direction, so it's possible he hadn't seen you.

You'll never know whether those other people were paying customers or not, unless you go back and ask, and I'm guessing you're not going to do that :) But if they were friends or relatives, they would still leave, wouldn't they?

Even if they were paying customers, and even if he had seen you, isn't it true that his behaviour might well have been exactly the same if you and your mother were both white?

I think it's maybe a bit harsh to come on here and accuse a local business of racism unless you are absolutely sure it was?

Please don't misunderstand me - if someone is definitely behaving in a racist manner there is no way I would condone that, however - just going by what you have said, and of course I wasn't there - it seems possible that there could be other explanations for what you experienced?

[mrure26]

I've used Miguel a few times and never would I say he was racist, he just isn't the type. Asides from anything else, he comes across (although very chatty) as a decent, very open individual. Apart from hairdressing, he is involved in other things such as creating wigs for those who have had cancer treatments. I did ring his shop last week a few times on a couple of different days and there was no reply, and when I passed on the bus after 5pm on both days (I work nearby), his shop had the closed sign up, so perhaps he was closed for a few days for certain reasons.

I think rather than accuse someone of racism, it might be better to find out exactly what happened.

[sharon21b]

If you read my previous messages you would have seen that I stated he was OPEN, lights were on, door sign said open, clients in the salon. We are decently dressed people, we don't look unsavoury but as I stated before he was right there by the window and would have seen us but refused to acknowledge our presence. If I were in his position that morning whether closed or not I would have at least opened the door and see what people wanted, if closed he could have stated that verbally but to just ignore us was totally out of order. Just because he makes wigs and such for cancer patients and was nice to you doesn't mean anything. You had to have been there to see exactly what went on instead of assuming I was just being slanderous to a person, that's not me. Judging by what happened that's the only reason I can come up with which I hate, and as I stated before, I don't generally play the racist card. It was a horribly embarrassing situation.

[sharon21b]

You know I thought about going back there several times but the thought of it happening again put me off. When I say he must have seen us, I'm sure he did, as I stated before he was right by the window just a foot away if that and seperated by glass, I also rang the bell a couple of times. My previous hairdresser used to lock the door even when she was open but would press the release button when she saw somebody at the door and her salon was a lot bigger than Rocks. Even if he was closed he could have mouthed "we are closed." It's as easy as that.

[Sue]

OK - I can see you are firmly convinced that he definitely saw you and chose to ignore you because you are black, so I've got nothing further to say.

Maybe somebody will tell him about this thread and he can come on here and answer you himself?

[sharon21b]

Yes maybe he will and that would be good. I'm not asking for your output I was sharing my experience like everybody else has in this site. You wouldn't be able to change my mind as there is no other explanation for what happened. Simple thing; he was in the shop and I'm sure he saw us and should have had the common curtesy to acknowledge us whether he was closed or not. It's that simple and I'm going by what myself and most decent, respectful people would do.

[sharon21b]

*input* not output.