Calvin (Ice Cube), who inherited a struggling barber shop on the south side of Chicago from his father, views the shop as nothing but a burden and a waste of his time. After selling the shop to a local loan shark, Calvin slowly begins to see his father's vision and legacy and struggles with the notion that he just sold it out. The shop is filled with an eclectic cast of characters that share their stories, jokes, trials and tribulations. Eddie (Cedric the Entertainer) is an old barber with strong opinions and no customers. Jimmy (Sean Patrick Thomas) is a highly educated barber with a superiority complex who can't stand Isaac (Troy Garity), the new white barber who just wants a shot at cutting some hair. Ricky is an ex-con with two strikes against him and is desperately trying to stay straight. Terri (Eve) is a hard-edged woman who can't seem to leave her two-timing boyfriend. Then there's Dinka, a fellow barber who is madly in love with Terri but doesn't get the time of day.