A recent tax compliance notice sent to a Minden business has sparked conversation throughout the community. What began as a routine letter from the Webster Parish Sales & Use Tax Commission has now grown into a broader discussion involving the timeline of the company’s services, comments made online by the business owner, and how tax enforcement actions sometimes begin.
At the center of the situation is The Shine Shop, a window tinting and detailing business located on Broadway Street in Minden.
The issue first came to light after a letter from the Webster Parish Sales & Use Tax Commission began circulating online along with several social media posts made by the business owner.
According to the company’s Facebook page, The Shine Shop began operating in May of 2020, during the early months of the COVID pandemic.
For many residents, that timing stands out. The early months of the pandemic were among the most difficult periods for small businesses in recent history. Across the country, businesses were shutting down, operating under severe restrictions, or struggling to stay afloat.
Minden experienced similar challenges. Several businesses in the area closed during that period, and some never reopened. Even today, some residents say parts of the city still feel quieter than they did before the pandemic.
It was during this uncertain time that The Shine Shop opened its doors.
The current discussion began after the Webster Parish Sales & Use Tax Commission sent a letter dated March 2, 2026, informing the business that companies performing taxable services in Webster Parish must register for sales and use tax purposes.
According to the letter, businesses providing taxable services must collect a 10.5 percent sales tax, with 5.5 percent remitted to the parish and 5 percent to the State of Louisiana.
The commission explained that registration is required by law, although there is no fee to register.
One line in the letter quickly caught the attention of many readers.
The commission stated that it had not previously contacted the business because “the extent of services being provided was not known.”
That statement raised questions among some residents because the business has maintained an active social media presence where its services have been publicly advertised.
After receiving the letter, the owner of The Shine Shop, Dillon Garrett, addressed the issue publicly on social media.
In his post, Garrett told customers that the business would now begin charging the required 10.5 percent sales tax on window tint jobs, including automotive, residential, and commercial tinting.
He explained that he personally handles the company’s taxes and said he had not realized the service required sales tax to be collected. In the post, he apologized to customers for the inconvenience.
In the same message, however, Garrett made a comment that quickly spread online.
He wrote that “somebody out there playa hatin and ratted on us.”
The remark suggested the compliance letter may have followed a complaint or report made to tax authorities rather than a routine review.
Tax agencies often receive tips from customers, competitors, or other individuals who believe a business may not be following tax regulations. In many cases, those reports remain confidential.
At this point, it is not known what specifically prompted the tax commission to send the notice.
Additional comments made by Garrett online have also drawn attention.
In one discussion about the tax issue, Garrett wrote that “cash is king.”
Some readers interpreted the comment as suggesting that cash payments could be used to avoid the newly added tax. Others saw the remark simply as a frustrated response during an online conversation.
Under Louisiana law, businesses performing taxable services are required to collect sales tax regardless of the form of payment. Once collected, those funds are considered public money held in trust until they are remitted to the state and parish.
It remains unclear whether Garrett intended the comment literally or whether it was simply an expression made during a heated discussion.
Another piece of the timeline began drawing attention when older social media posts from The Shine Shop resurfaced.
One post dated October 22, 2022 shows photos of a red vehicle with newly installed window tint. The caption reads:
“Still trying to perfect the art of window tinting. More practice needed. 35% up front 5% rear.”
The post suggests that window tint services were being performed and publicly advertised at least as early as 2022.
Because the tax commission’s letter stated that the extent of the services being provided was previously unknown, the timeline of these posts has become part of the community conversation.
The business has also drawn attention because of the law enforcement background connected to the owner’s family.
Dillon Garrett is the son of Marvin Garrett, a longtime law enforcement officer in Webster Parish.
Marvin Garrett served with the Minden Police Department from 1990 until 2020, retiring with the rank of Captain after roughly three decades of service.
After retiring from the Minden Police Department, he continued working in law enforcement as a Criminal Investigator with the Webster Parish Sheriff’s Office from July 2020 through December 31, 2022.
More recently, he has served as a Deputy Marshal for Ward 1 for approximately three years.
There is no indication that these connections played any role in the tax compliance issue, but the family’s long presence in local law enforcement has added another layer of attention to the situation.
As the story continues to circulate locally, several questions remain unanswered.
How long were window tint services being performed before the tax notice was issued?
What prompted the Sales & Use Tax Commission to send the compliance letter in 2026?
Was the notice triggered by a complaint or part of a routine review?
And will tax authorities examine previous years of activity to determine whether taxes should have been collected earlier?
For now, the only confirmed change is that The Shine Shop has stated it will begin charging the required sales tax moving forward.
Still, the combination of the business launching during the COVID shutdown, social media posts showing tint work years earlier, the recent tax notice, and the owner’s public comments has made the situation a topic of discussion across the community.
In a city the size of Minden, where businesses, public officials, and residents often know one another, stories like this tend to travel quickly.
And for many people watching the situation unfold, the timeline itself has become one of the most talked-about parts of the story.
