12Pell Is the MSG of Barbershops | Docs
12Pell says they’re the Madison Square Garden of barber shops. What they mean is when certain folk come through New York City, they don’t leave without visiting. The barbershop is always packed, and there’s a few reasons why barbers combine Japanese style precise scissor work with the sharp shaves of Dominican barbershop, layered on top of K hair techniques. They are one of a kind, and their audience of nearly 2 million followers on TikTok and 300,000+ on Instagram has made them some of the most sought after barbers of our generation. Customers book months in advance for a slot, with prices starting at $150+ for a trim.
But 12Pell is important not just because of the popularity. . During the COVID-19 pandemic when Chinatown became a 'ghost town', the store rarely got any customers. 12Pell translated this downtime into community-driven initiatives, offering free haircuts when customers spent $45 dollars at any Chinatown store, and investing in their TikTok community. Soon, 12Pell had things up and running again for the entire neighborhood, including themselves.
The barbershop cares beyond just the business of hair – they show up for the Asian American community by creating a space for young Asian men to feel a sense of belonging.
Director
Stephanie Tangkilisan
Producer
Boya Sun
Editor
Armando de la Cruz
Director of Photography
Boya Sun
Stephanie Tangkilisan
Editor-In-Chief
Keshia Hannam
Head of Production
Stephanie Tangkilisan
Post Production Coordinator
Skolastika Lupitawina
Assistant Editor
Rendy Abi Pratama
Color
Nadya Sabrina
Sound
EzSound Studios
Special Thanks
12Pell
Additional Music by
Smile (aka Chillie Willie) by I AM A DUO
Stinky Sax by Dimitrix
Origin by Theatre of Delays
Day Off by Aves
Don´t Hide Your Pains Inside by Eleven Tales
Eyes Closed by Nobou
Adventure by Liquify
Dusk - Instrumental Version by nuer self
But 12Pell is important not just because of the popularity. . During the COVID-19 pandemic when Chinatown became a 'ghost town', the store rarely got any customers. 12Pell translated this downtime into community-driven initiatives, offering free haircuts when customers spent $45 dollars at any Chinatown store, and investing in their TikTok community. Soon, 12Pell had things up and running again for the entire neighborhood, including themselves.
The barbershop cares beyond just the business of hair – they show up for the Asian American community by creating a space for young Asian men to feel a sense of belonging.
Director
Stephanie Tangkilisan
Producer
Boya Sun
Editor
Armando de la Cruz
Director of Photography
Boya Sun
Stephanie Tangkilisan
Editor-In-Chief
Keshia Hannam
Head of Production
Stephanie Tangkilisan
Post Production Coordinator
Skolastika Lupitawina
Assistant Editor
Rendy Abi Pratama
Color
Nadya Sabrina
Sound
EzSound Studios
Special Thanks
12Pell
Additional Music by
Smile (aka Chillie Willie) by I AM A DUO
Stinky Sax by Dimitrix
Origin by Theatre of Delays
Day Off by Aves
Don´t Hide Your Pains Inside by Eleven Tales
Eyes Closed by Nobou
Adventure by Liquify
Dusk - Instrumental Version by nuer self