WASHINGTON, Pa. — A Pennsylvania barber shop has been fined after refusing to cut a woman's hair.
Barbiere in Washington, Pennsylvania, is described as "a high end Gentleman's Barber Shop."
On March 11, a woman, Diamond Pecjak of Crucible, walked into the shop after booking an appointment online for herself and her boyfriend, according to the Observer-Reporter Newspaper.
After being told no, Pecjak filed a complaint with the Pennsylvania Bureau of Professional and Occupational Affairs against the shop.
The shop was fined $750 over the incident.
Barbiere's owner, John Interval, said he didn't know he was compelled to service both genders and doesn't expect an upswing in female customers anytime soon.
"I didn't really consider it so much a discrimination thing as it's a barbershop, you know," Interval said.
Interval said he will not formally contest the fine, but he disagrees with the penalty.
"It's infringing on our environment. Guys come here as a kind of a little getaway, to be around other guys," said Interval, while clipping a customer's beard as Frank Sinatra tunes played on the stereo. "My hands are tied. They are forcing me to do this and telling me how to do my business."
He said the shop recommended salons and even offered to pay for Pecjak's haircut elsewhere to compensate for the inconvenience.
Nearly 100 supporters of Barbiere signed a petition in opposition of the board's ruling.
Pecjak, a cosmetologist, wanted a fade, a trendy men's haircut. She declined to comment on her complaint, on her attorney's advice.
WSBTV
