Barbershop 2: Back in Business
Since the events of the previous film, Calvin Palmer, Jr. has finally settled comfortably into his role as the owner of the inner city barbershop founded by his grandfather and father. The shop's latest threat comes from overzealous developer Quentin Leroux who opens a rival barbershop chain across the street, called "Nappy Cutz".
While Calvin attempts to figure out how to deal with the coming threat of direct competition from Quentin's flashy establishment, his barbers have issues of their own. Isaac, the lone white barber, is now the star of the shop, and begins to feel that he deserves star treatment, feeling neglected by Calvin and the other barbers. Terri is finding success in managing her anger, but has trouble dealing with the growing mutual attraction between Ricky and her. Dinka is still interested in Terri, but is distraught when he finds out that she loves Ricky, instead. Jimmy has quit the shop to work for the local alderman Lalowe Brown; his replacement, Calvin's cousin Kenard, is fresh out of barber school and horribly inept at cutting hair. Meanwhile, the barbershop and other businesses like it are under threat from gentrification, and Calvin is offered a substantial bribe from Brown and Leroux in exchange for his support of the city council's gentrification legislation.
A subplot involves Eddie recalling his time as a young man in the late 1960s, when he first started working at the shop with Calvin's father, including the riots following the assassination of Martin Luther King Jr. Also, Eddie remembers his long-lost love, Loretta. This subplot causes Eddie and Calvin to begin bonding. The film also introduces Calvin's good friend and ex-lover, Gina, who works at the beauty shop next door. The girls at the beauty shop have similar conversations and experiences as the barbers and Gina has a bitter rivalry with Eddie.
After attempting to change his own barbershop's style and decor to match those of his rival, Calvin decides to refuse the bribe money and speak out against the neighborhood's gentrification at the local city council meeting. Though Calvin gives a passionate speech about the legislation helping the region to earn money at the cost of its soul and the community, the council still unanimously votes to approve the legislation and move forward with the project. Despite a mutual attraction, Terri and Ricky agree to remain friends (but not before sharing one last kiss). Dinka still loses out on Terri, but finds love with a stylist at Gina's beauty shop. Though the gentrification project is approved, the community remains loyal to Calvin's barbershop.
blaxploitation, flashback