mojo's bar.jpg

Mojo's Dueling Piano Bar at 180 Monroe Ave NW, at the corner of Monroe and Pearl Street NW in downtown Grand Rapids.

(Lauren Petracca | MLive.com)

A photo of Daniel Parker wearing the gold-colored shorts he was wearing on Friday, July 12.

GRAND RAPIDS, MI — A Facebook post denouncing Mojo's Dueling Piano Bar downtown by a patron allegedly denied entry based on a colorful choice of clothing has prompted a public apology from bar owners.

On Wednesday, Mojo’s issued an apology to Daniel Parker of Grand Rapids on the bar’s Facebook page after Parker claimed he was turned away with a friend at the door because he was wearing gold-colored shorts made of Lamé, a metallic fabric.

Parker posted on Facebook on Tuesday, claiming "discrimination." The incident happened on Friday, July 12. Mojo's is located at 180 Monroe Ave NW, at the corner of Monroe and Pearl Street downtown.

Parker wrote staff at the door told him Mojo’s was "a bar with standards and a dress code” and his shorts were too costume-like. In the comments, Parker wrote the bar manager offered to allow them entry after the incident, an offer which was declined.

He broadened his critique to indict the city’s cultural tolerance, or lack thereof.

Parker’s post was shared by 145 people and elicited a show of support from people who promised to send angry emails to the bar.

On Wednesday, the bar responded with a lengthy apology, cited a "communication breakdown" and promised to teach staff how to differentiate between "a dress code violation and an individual expressing oneself in an innocently creative manner."

Mojo's is not the only establishment downtown to have a dress code. Crush at The B.O.B. has a dress code, as well as McFadden’s on some nights. Generally, patrons are asked to dress business casual at most places with a code.

In response to the comments under the apology, the bar posted that “there are certain guidelines we will continue to uphold” in regards to a dress code.

“No excessively holey jeans, no cutoff shirts, etc.,” the post read. “But Mr. Parker's attire is something we have not previously been presented with at Mojo's and, thus, requires addressing.”

Owner Tom Wojciakowski characterized the entire situation as a non-event which was handled by the manager at the time. Parker was polite when offered entry by the manager and staff were surprised to wake up to angry communications.

"The door guy had a judgement call," he said. "It had nothing to do with who (Parker) is. This was nipped in the bud 30 seconds after the guy said 'hold on, let me call my manager.'"

Mojo's is open to anyone, he said. "We have everybody from 21 to 60, from all walks of life, in on a regular basis. However this turned into a discrimination thing is 100 percent false."

Update: 7/18. Parker's response to an email requesting more information.

Parker said the bar reached out to him late Wednesday and added he hopes to reach an "agreement (that) makes both parties happy."

Email Garret Ellison or follow him on Twitter.