Nantucket Antique Store's 'No Influencers' Sign Angers Content Creators

An antique store on Nantucket has caused a stir after erecting a “no influencer” sign in its cozy island boutique.

John Sylvia operates Four Winds Craft Guild and says he’s noticed more and more influencers entering his quaint shop and filming without permission. He finds it rude.

“A lot of people are tired of feeling like extras in someone else’s video,” Sylvia tells The Cut. “Like, f—ing talk to me. Talk to anyone in my store.”

“They don’t care about the history,” Sylvia adds about the selfie stick-wielding Gen Z crowd that descends on Nantucket, an island off Massachusetts, each summer. “I don’t want to sound negative, but they come in, there’s like a group of them sometimes, and it can clog up the store. It’s not a huge space.”

The veteran merchant took action by commissioning a local artist to create a traditional wood sign that reads “No Influencers.” But after he hung it, some people weren’t happy, including influencer Paige Lorenze, who has millions of followers online. Lorenze accused the sign of being anti-women.

“If you call yourself a feminist but proudly put up a ‘no influencers’ sign, it’s worth asking who you are attempting to delegitimize, and why,” Lorenze tells The Cut.

“I actually think most influencers are fairly harmless and do their best to promote local businesses, which does increase visibility, foot traffic, and ultimately sales. But a few bad influencers — wannabes and entitled stars — can paint content creators in a bad light.”

Sylvia was apparently unaware of Lorenze’s comments, but tells The Cut that he doesn’t play to influencer culture. “I don’t really need it,” he adds.

CNN compared the “no influencer” sign to “no photos” signs that were common in the 20th century. But as smartphones proliferated at the turn of the millennium, that rule became harder to enforce in a lot of shops, museums, and concert halls.

Image creditsHeader image via Four Winds Craft Guild.