Paul, formerly Paige Lorenze, has more than 1 million followers on Instagram and 840,000 on TikTok. She is also the founder of clothing brand Dairy Boy, which has a retail store on Nantucket.
Paul commented on the Four Winds post, saying, “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 . . .”
“One woman with a loyal audience can successfully launch a business at a scale that would have once required corporate backing and massive advertising budgets. That’s a win. This sign isn’t,” Paul’s comment reads.
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Four Winds said its post of the sign was reported and taken down by Instagram. “Imagine being so bored with life that you spend your pastime trying to report a photo on IG that makes you feel uncomfortable,” a new post on the store’s account said.
Four Winds then posted a new photo of the sign, writing, “The No Influencers sign isn’t about her and never was — this is a culture discussion — one to talk about openly and honestly in your own community/neighborhood,” their post reads. The response to Paul has since been removed from the post.
Four Winds, owned by John Sylvia of Nantucket, is a third-generation antique business nearing its 100th anniversary. The store prides itself on discussing local issues and culture, it said in its Instagram post. The store has begun to receive death threats and constant calls. Sylvia declined a request to comment for this article.
Instagram quickly blew up with new posts about the sign, with both defenders of the store and critics. Some influencers noted the sign is discriminatory and puts down an entire industry, and a simple “no photography” sign would suffice. Many big names are joining in the conversation as well. Dave Portnoy, founder of Barstool Sports, commented, “Am I considered an influencer?”
Others were grateful the store took a stand against influencers, saying it might help to preserve the history and local feel of the island. Ava Rollins, the founder of the island’s only public relations agency, wrote on her Substack that the sign “is about knowing exactly who we are and standing in our integrity, and dare we say, humble good taste.”
“Nantucket does not chase. She lures. Scarcity is not a strategy here. It is a way of life that happens to photograph beautifully and resonate well beyond our shores,” Rollins wrote.
This isn’t the first time Nantucket has engaged in a debate over influencers. Last year, content creator Kylie Swanson hosted what she called “Camp Nantucket,” a four-day retreat on the island for her followers for $3,800. The camp drew criticism from businesses that said she was soliciting free or discounted products in exchange for social media exposure, which they said was a disruption to the island and its economy.
This isn’t a new issue for Nantucket either, as the island has continued to debate overtourism and unwanted attention. The Peacock miniseries “The Five-Star Weekend” recently descended on the island for filming. And earlier this year, Nantucket’s Select Board agreed to recommend restricted hours for tourists to visit the Sconset Bluff Walk to prevent excess tourism.
Sterling Davies can be reached at [email protected].
