When people search for toriah lachell mimms, they usually want more than gossip about her past relationship with Jayson Tatum. She’s a certified curl specialist, the founder of The Curl Bar Boston, and a mother who built her career from the ground up. Long before her name trended online, she was a St. Louis athlete with a growing passion for natural hair care.
Today, she runs one of Boston’s most respected salons, specializing in dry curl cutting and natural hair care techniques that have earned her a loyal, diverse clientele. This article covers her early life, her rise as an entrepreneur, and how she balances motherhood with running a thriving business.
Quick Biography of Toriah Lachell Mimms
| Detail | Information |
| Full Name | Toriah Lachell Mimms |
| Also Known As | Toriah Lachell, Toriah Mimms |
| Profession | Hairstylist, Entrepreneur, Curl Specialist |
| Business | The Curl Bar Boston |
| Date of Birth | February 2000 |
| Birthplace | St. Louis, Missouri, United States |
| Current Residence | Boston, Massachusetts, United States |
| Nationality | American |
| High School | McCluer North High School |
| Education | Cosmetology School, Boston, MA |
| Certifications | DevaCurl Certified, Rezo Cut Certified, Cut It Kinky Alumna |
| Mother | Julie Gibbs |
| Stepfather | John Gibbs |
| Ex-Partner | Jayson Tatum (NBA Player, Boston Celtics) |
| Son | Jayson “Deuce” Tatum Jr. (born December 2017) |
| Known For | Salon ownership and natural/curly hair expertise |
| Social Media | Active on Instagram (The Curl Bar Boston) |
Who Is Toriah Lachell Mimms?
Ask around Boston’s natural hair community, and you’ll hear her name a lot. Toriah Lachell Mimms is the founder of The Curl Bar Boston, a salon built entirely around curly and textured hair. She didn’t stumble into this career. She trained for it, certified in it, and grew a loyal client base around it.
Her connection to Jayson Tatum opened the door to public attention. What kept people interested, though, was everything she built after that door opened. Today, she’s known just as much for her scissors as for her past relationship.
Early Life, Family Background, and Education in St. Louis, Missouri
Toriah grew up in St. Louis, Missouri, raised by her mother, Julie Gibbs, alongside her stepfather, John Gibbs. Family support shaped her early years, and it showed. She wasn’t the type to sit still. Between school and sports, her schedule stayed packed.
She attended McCluer North High School in Florissant, Missouri. It’s a fairly ordinary school on paper, but it turned out to be where two big threads of her life started: sports and a certain future NBA star.
High School Athletics and Meeting Jayson Tatum

Before hair care ever entered the picture, Toriah was an athlete. She played varsity soccer and spent four years on the softball team, working her way from junior varsity to a starting varsity spot. Team sports taught her something she’d use later in business: how to lead without losing sight of the group.
It was during these high school years that she met Jayson Tatum, who attended nearby Chaminade College Preparatory School. They shared friends, a hometown, and an age group, and around 2014, that friendship turned into a relationship.
Relationship with Jayson Tatum and Becoming a Mother to Deuce Tatum
Their romance grew alongside Tatum’s basketball career, right through his run at Duke University and into the 2017 NBA Draft. High school sweethearts navigating a sudden national spotlight isn’t easy, and eventually, the two chose to go separate ways romantically.
But before that, in December 2017, Toriah gave birth to their son, Jayson “Deuce” Tatum Jr. She was just 17. Motherhood at that age would overwhelm most people. She leaned into it instead, and Deuce has since grown into a familiar face at Celtics games, known for his easy smile courtside.\
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Cosmetology Training and Curl Specialist Certifications
Here’s where her story shifts from “NBA player’s ex” to “businesswoman.” Toriah moved to Massachusetts and enrolled in cosmetology school in 2017, graduating in 2018. She didn’t stop at a general license, though. She went further, chasing expertise in a niche that most salons still get wrong: curly hair care.
She holds certifications as a DevaCurl certified stylist, trained through the Cut It Kinky program, and mastered the Rezo Cut method. Each of these credentials focuses on the science behind curl patterns, not just cutting technique. That distinction matters a lot to clients with textured hair who’ve been burned by one-size-fits-all styling before.
Founding The Curl Bar Boston: Services and Signature Treatments

With her training locked in, Toriah launched The Curl Bar Boston, a salon built specifically for natural, curly, and coily hair textures. It wasn’t just a business move. It was personal, rooted in years of learning how different curl patterns behave and what they actually need.
The salon’s approach centers on dry curl cutting, a technique that shapes hair in its natural, unstretched state rather than cutting it wet. That one choice sets her apart from a lot of traditional salons.
| Service | What It Does |
| Custom Dry Curl Cutting | Shapes curls based on their natural pattern and shrinkage |
| Hydration and Detox Treatments | Removes buildup, restores moisture balance |
| Rezo Cut Transformations | Adds volume while preserving length |
| Educational Consultations | Teaches clients proper at-home curl maintenance |
Celebrity Clients, Social Media Presence, and Public Recognition
Word travels fast in a city like Boston, and it wasn’t long before recognizable names started showing up in her chair. Comedian and television host Trevor Noah has visited The Curl Bar Boston for services, sharing the experience with his own followers.
Even with a few famous clients, Toriah hasn’t shifted focus away from everyday customers. Her Instagram presence backs this up. Instead of chasing gossip or drama, she posts transformations, product tips, and hair education, the kind of content that builds trust rather than just views.
The Co-Parenting Journey with Jayson Tatum
Plenty of high-profile breakups turn messy. Toriah and Jayson’s didn’t. They’ve kept a steady, respectful co-parenting arrangement centered on Deuce’s wellbeing, coordinating schedules so their son gets real time with both parents.
Deuce attends his father’s games often, but he also has a consistent, grounded routine with his mom in Boston. Fans and commentators alike tend to point to this arrangement as a model for how separated parents can still raise a happy kid together.
Net Worth, Business Success, and Future Expansion Plans
Running a niche salon in a competitive city isn’t a small feat. Estimates on her net worth vary, with some outlets placing it somewhere between $1 million and $2 million, largely built through salon revenue, styling services, and educational sessions rather than any connection to Tatum.
Looking ahead, Toriah has hinted at bigger plans: product lines, online training for other stylists, and workshops aimed at the wider curly hair community. Given how far she’s come already, none of that sounds like a stretch.
Conclusion
Toriah Lachell Mimms proves that real success doesn’t need a spotlight to shine. From her athletic roots in St. Louis to running The Curl Bar Boston, she’s built a career on skill, discipline, and hard-earned certifications, not fame.
She balances motherhood, entrepreneurship, and a respectful co-parenting relationship with grace and consistency. As she keeps growing her brand and pushing into new ventures, one thing stays clear: her story is about hard work paying off, entirely on her own terms.
FAQ’s About Toriah Lachell Mimms
Who is Toriah Lachell Mimms?
An American hairstylist and entrepreneur, founder of The Curl Bar Boston, and mother of Jayson Tatum’s son, Deuce.
What happened with Jayson Tatum and Toriah Lachell?
They dated as high school sweethearts and had a son in 2017, but the romance ended as Tatum’s NBA career took off; they now co-parent.
Is Jayson Tatum’s mother Caucasian?
No — Tatum’s mother, Brandy Cole-Barnes, is African American.
Does Jayson Tatum have custody of his son Deuce?
No official custody arrangement has been made public, but reports indicate Deuce mostly lives with Tatum while he and Toriah share co-parenting duties.
When did Jayson Tatum stop sleeping with his mom?
In interviews, Tatum has said he shared a bed with his mother growing up until around age 13, due to their living situation at the time.
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