By Michael Reel
A cherished South Los Angeles gathering spot was celebrated with the premiere of “Tolliver’s Barbershop,” the long-awaited documentary by director and executive producer Sandra Evers Manly. An enthusiastic audience of friends, family and customers attended the premiere in December 2023 at the Directors Guild of America Theater on Sunset Boulevard.
Sadness mixed with pride at the screening because of the looming threat that the shop would close. That became a reality in January when the building that housed the shop where Lawrence Tolliver cut hair for 12 years has been sold. Its new owners have other plans for the storefront.
“Tolliver’s Barbershop” immerses you in the sights and sounds of a Los Angeles institution. The shop was much more than a place to get a great haircut. “There’s not a conversation from politics to high school that we share knowledge and wisdom to help one another along and to build one another up,” said one regular customer. “It’s a place where you can cry, you can laugh, and you can smile. The barbershop.”
Lawrence Tolliver, approaching his 80s, is the beating heart of “Tolliver’s Barbershop.” The respected owner and community leader, who has run the shop in three locations for almost five decades, attended the premiere.
“I am so happy,” said Tolliver. “My heart is just bubbling over for all of the love and support that has been shown to me tonight.”
For L.A.’s Black community, Tolliver’s was more than a place to get a haircut. A Black single mother has made Tolliver’s a regular stop. “I started taking my son there who was mentored by a lot of the men,” she said. “You find all of the local community news that you need, plus the hot topic. I just love the atmosphere.”
Tolliver’s daughter and two sons joined their father on the red carpet. They shared memories of their childhood in the shop. “We’re very proud of our dad who’s been doing this since he was a young adult and now he’s an old man,” said the oldest of Tolliver’s sons. “There was a lot of culture, love and community in our home and the shop. It was a love affair.”
It is not uncommon for Tolliver, affectionately known as LT, to cut the hair of several generations of a family. The Paysinger’s are one such family who attended the premiere. “I think I was a year old when he gave me my first haircut,” said a family member.
“I’m 64 now. He’s cut four generations in our family, the Paysinger’s, our father, my brother and I, our kids and now our grandkids. For any kid in the community growing up in the barbershop like we did, we got an education outside of the classroom just by coming to the barbershop every week.”
Los Angeles Times award-winning columnist and author Steve Lopez has for years chronicled the challenges Lawrence Tolliver has faced in keeping the business running. “It was a gift in my life and career to get to know him and to see what he had built,” said Lopez.
“It takes the barbershop into more living rooms and into more theaters where people can see this kind of institution which is such an important piece of our community.
“I love in particular Mr. Tolliver’s humanity.”
Following the screening of “Tolliver’s Barbershop” Evers Manly spoke exclusively with Michael Reel of Reel Urban News about what she’d like the audience to take from her film.
“The number one thing I want us to walk away with is that we have stories, we have institutions, and we have people right here in our communities and we don’t have to look to other communities to find our heroes. They’re right here in the barbershop, on the golf course and in our homes.
Cover Photo: Cazzie Burns Photography
