If you are mother, especially a black women do not use Christopher Blake if you go to Blake's barbershop. (IF YOU HAVE THE TIME, PLS READ).
This is the most disheartening review I've ever had to write about a business. I brought my 4 year old son for a hair cut at "Blake's Barber Shop" in Hyannis. Before arriving I asked for a specific barber, Pedro. The person that answered the phone said they don't know when Pedro was coming in and that he had someone to cut my son's hair. I made sure to point out that I want a kid friendly barber, which the person over the phone assured me that the person I was getting was kid friendly. After arriving 15mins early to my appointment I told the barber that my son is scared of hair cuts, his reply was "how do you know he's scared?" I told him he cries whenever he gets a hair cut.. the barber went on to tell me "my child wasn't scared"...As soon as the barber started my son started crying and reaching for me.. I tried to calm him down and hold his hand by telling him it's ok.. (I was trying to make his job easier and the experience good for my boy). I then promised my son a treat after his haircut. That's when the disrespect started. Christopher Blake started scolding me about promising my child a treat, and how I'll be like one of his other clients who had to buy his son a video game for 12 YEARS. He went as far as commenting on my parenting, I listened to him and made him continue to speak. After a while my son starting screaming and pulling away.. I had to beg Christopher to stop because at that time I thought it was hair getting in his eyes... I asked him for a piece of paper towel and he gave me an old cloth. I asked him if I could sit and hold my son and he told me no.. "NO, No one ever sits in my chair and hold a kid"!!!!!!. He also had the other white Barber lie and agree for him. I told him that's a lie because Pedro had me hold my son which was a pleasant experience and my son made him cut his hair without fuss. I told him that the owner that I knew, told me "that if ANY child don't finish their haircut, he will not charge the parent". That's when he boldly told me that he's the owner and his name is "Christopher Blake". I told Christopher that if I couldn't hold my scared baby that's screaming and pulling away from me, I was going to leave. He started to raise his voice at me and called me a liar because his brother never told me that (the owner I knew). In that moment I was going to leave and he played it off saying I'm overreacting because I'm nervous and he'll finish my son's haircut (because the customers were there). I should have left then because at this point I almost cried. What did I do to this man? What did my 4 year old son do to him for him to behave so cruel to a crying child? I could feel something was off, the way he looked at me, the sarcasms he asked. I pointed out to him that he was being disrespectful and he went as far as saying "he has shown me more respect than any man in my life!". And that "I came in here with stress in my life that's why I'm being negative". At this point he was getting real personal as if he knew me.
Remember I have never met this particular owner before. He then told me that we met before and had an argument. I told him I've never met him. I started to realize that this man, Christopher Blake, the owner, already stereotyped me walking into his shop. The way he spoke to me and treated my 4 year old black son and myself was disgusting, sexist and racist. He denied me from holding my child through a haircut which he's terrified of! On top of that he man handled my son so he could hold still, that's why he was pulling away and crying. As soon as the customers and other white barber left he turned off his shear and told me to pay (he didn't finish the hair cut) and had the audacity to tell me.. a returning and paying customer at his barbershop to get the Fuck out.
I ended up paying $25 for a sleazy, unfinished disheartening experience that I don't wish upon any parent. All I wanted to do was comfort my son. read more