Ah, the joys of small-town businesses--where customer service is just a vague concept and reliability is an optional feature! Let me tell you about our thrilling experience with Strong Barber & Salon in Marfa, Texas.
My wife needed to get our kids' haircut, so she called ahead like a responsible adult to set up an appointment. The person on the other end (who I can only assume was the owner, an employee, or maybe just some random guy who enjoys answering phones) confidently told her to come in at 5:30 or 6PM. Fantastic! So she loaded up all four kids--you know, those tiny, impatient humans who LOVE long car rides--into the car and drove 45 minutes to Marfa, expecting a simple, straightforward haircut experience. What could go wrong?
Well, everything.
First off, the business wasn't even at the location listed on Apple Maps or Yelp. That's right--poof, gone, vanished, existing in some alternate dimension where customer service doesn't matter. No problem, right? Just call them back and figure out what's going on. Oh, wait--they didn't answer. Not once, not twice, but three times. Because why would a business bother answering their phone, especially when they've already made an appointment with a customer? That's just silly.
At this point, I jumped in to help. Surely, Google Maps would have the correct information, right? Nope! The business didn't even show up there. And if you go back to Yelp and Apple Maps, it literally says "Claim this Business." As in, the owner hasn't even taken the time to acknowledge their own existence online. I mean, I get it--some people enjoy living off the grid. But when you're running a business, especially one that requires customers to find you, that's probably not the best strategy.
Now, let's break this down:
The business exists... somewhere. But not where they say they do.
The owner makes appointments and then disappears like a ghost.
Phone calls are about as effective as sending smoke signals.
Google doesn't even know they exist.
Honestly, I'm not even mad. I'm impressed. It takes a special kind of business acumen to make your own company this hard to find. If there was an award for Most Elusive Business in Marfa, they'd win by a landslide.
At the end of the day, my kids didn't get their hair cut, my wife wasted an hour and a half driving for absolutely nothing, and we're out the gas money for a completely pointless trip. So if you're looking for a place to not get your hair cut, I highly recommend this establishment. They truly excel in the art of being unreliable.
As for the business owner, here's a little free advice:
Step 1: Learn how to update your business address online. It's 2025, and even small-town barbershops should know how to use the internet.
Step 2: Answer your phone. People calling you probably want to give you money.
Step 3: If you schedule an appointment, maybe... I don't know... be there?
Step 4: Refund my gas money. I'll send you my Venmo.
Final rating? One star, only because zero isn't an option read more
