A men’s grooming brand by LeBron James is now available at The Shop. Image: The StoreIn the realm of personal grooming, LeBron James is making a splash.This is the first major venture for the 39-year-old NBA All-Star, whose seven-piece line of hair and skincare products is named “The Shop” after his Emmy-winning television chat show of the same name.Maverick Carter, a longtime friend and business partner of James’, spoke exclusively to PEOPLE at the New York City launch event about their new venture and how their company “naturally” came to be. Carter helped build The Shop.”There was no aha moment, there was more of a feeling,” Carter says of creating the barbershop-inspired brand. He credits the “ethos” of The Shop for being what the line strives to accomplish: “bringing communities together” and “empowering them through conversations.”
The James-led series, co-created by Paul Rivera and Randy Mims, premiered on HBO in August 2018 and is now in its seventh season. Filmed in a barbershop setting, James and Carter invite guests — like Tom Brady, Drake, Quinta Brunson and David Beckham — to converse, debate and inspire through roundtable conversations.
LeBron James launches The Shop Men’s Grooming line.
THE SHOP
“Through filming The Shop and through some of those conversations, we started realizing there may be an opportunity,” Rivera tells PEOPLE while sitting alongside Carter. “And to Maverick’s point, it just felt very authentically connected to the brand, The Shop experience.”
James was conspicuously absent from the New York City launch ceremony (following Wednesday night’s triumphant away game between the Lakerz and the Memphis Grizzlies), but Rivera promised that James had been involved “every step of the way” by offering suggestions and criticisms ever since they initially discussed the project.
“He was very clear on what he’d like to see in a product,” continues Rivera. “There wasn’t anything that he wasn’t a part of.”
The Los Angeles Lakers star’s involvement was no shock to his childhood friend Carter, who doubles as the CEO of James’ multimedia SpringHill Company co-founded by the pair 2020. “Nothing surprises me, but what continues to astonish me is his commitment and dedication,” Carter says of the athlete.
“He’s the most committed and dedicated person that I’ve ever seen, and that’s why he’s such a high achiever,” Carter continues. “I think there’ll be much more for fans to learn about him as his [NBA] career winds down and he goes into the next chapters of his life and career.”
Jay-Z, Bad Bunny, Paul Rivera, Maverick Carter, and LeBron James are among the guests in the show The Shop. THE HBO COMPANYAll men can benefit from the high-performance solutions, which cater to specific issues with hair, skin, and beards. Vegan, cruelty-free, multi-beneficial, skin-loving, easy-to-use ingredients make it all the way to perfection.A soothing shave cream, an aftershave toner, a conditioning beard cream, a 2-in-1 moisturizing hair wash, a hair styling pomade, and an exfoliating face wash are all part of the grooming line.Joining the introduction of The Shop Men’s Grooming Line comes the creative campaign “Be The Face,” which features James, Carter, and Rivera. The goal is to provide men the tools they need to be confident and intentional, drawing inspiration from barbershops.
“I can remember like it was yesterday, going into the first barbershop I’ve ever been to,” James says in an exclusive video clip shared with PEOPLE. “Going into the shop, there’s a certain aura,” he continues. “That’s what heaven is all about. You just feel… untouchable.”
“We want to deliver that feeling through the products,” Carter tells PEOPLE at the launch event, adding that the goal is to “feel comfortable and confident” each day and “to be the face of whatever you choose to be.”
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As for The Shop product James favors the most? “He loves them all,” Carter says on his behalf. “His grooming routine has been honed over many years of being in lots of locker rooms.”
Carter points out that The Shop Face Lotion Daily Hydrator is “very important to [LeBron],” especially when trying to “stay moist after sweating for hours and hours on a basketball court.”
Rivera jumps in: “He has a fantastic beard.” If he had to guess James’ favorite, he’d go with The Shop Beard Cream Leave In Conditioner. “He had a point of view on it as well as all the other products,” he notes.
LeBron James’ The Shop Men’s Grooming Line products.
THE SHOP
“Men, we don’t want too much,” James says of grooming routines in the “Be the Face” video clip. “We want to be fast, quick and efficient. Get to watching our football games, getting to eat and getting to sleep.”
Beginning on April 1st, the Shop collection will be sold exclusively at Walmart. According to Carter, “was important” to them while deciding on price points, therefore all of the products are around $10.
“We wanted to make sure we didn’t exclude our community,” Rivera tells PEOPLE. “We’re incredibly happy with where we landed, not only from a price point standpoint but from the quality of product that we were able to provide at that price point.”He concludes, “At our core, it is for that barbershop community.”
