About

The Love Center’s properties are located in Southcrest, an urban community in Southeast San Diego where tenants and visitors enjoy a friendly, nostalgic community vibe. Ample parking is available, and there is convenient access by car and bus. Tenants find the location to be ideal and tend to opt for long-term leases.

The property is owned by former San Diego Charger Love James (Jim) Tolbert and his wife, Beverly Tolbert. Jim played college football at Lincoln University, an HBCU in Jefferson City, MO, and was inducted into Lincoln’s Hall of Fame in 2012. Jim’s professional football career spanned 11 seasons, seven of which were with the Chargers.

Jim was drafted by the Chargers in 1965 in the seventh round. He played defensive back until the middle of the 1971 season, when his career was put on hold by an injury. After recovering from his injury, Jim was traded to the Houston Oilers in 1972 and then to the St. Louis Cardinals, where he played from 1973 to 1975. In 1976, he returned to San Diego to play his last season with the Chargers.

Jim made San Diego his home and married native San Diegan Beverly Turman in 1977.

Not the type to take his future for granted, Jim focused on building a meaningful post-football life. After retiring from football, Jim pursued a career in tailoring, opened a tailoring shop, and designed and patented a unique style of men’s pants he called “Action Slacks.”

Later, Jim followed his keen interest in real estate development and earned a contractor's license. He purchased a vacant commercial lot in 1970 at the corner of South 43rd Street and Keeler Avenue. Jim envisioned building a commercial center where Southeast San Diego residents could enjoy high-quality restaurants and have access to business establishments without the inconvenience of traveling outside their community. This vision led to The Love Centers LLC.

Originally, lenders were reluctant to lend Jim money for a commercial project in Southeast San Diego. While still playing for the Chargers, he persevered and eventually received financing in 1975. With his contractor's license in hand, he set out to build a 6,700-square-foot site that would become Love Center 1 in 1976. The first tenants were Elaine’s Coffee Shop, Beverly’s Hair Trends (an upscale hair salon owned by his wife), The Palavra Tree, and the San Diego Police Department.

In 1982, Jim and Beverly bought a commercial lot at the corner of 47th Street and Logan Avenue and constructed a 2,500-square-foot commercial center. The Tolberts opened a dry cleaners and leased part of the center to a convenience store.

In 1988, the couple remodeled an abandoned 3,200-square-foot commercial building at the corner of South 43rd Street and Alpha Street. Beverly’s Hair Trends later relocated to this location in 1988.

The community has evolved over the years to include a broader cultural mix. A diverse blend of tenants, including a restaurant, a laundry, business offices, business services, salons, and barber shops, continue to offer the community the convenient services they need.

After retiring as a counselor in 2017 from Grossmont Community College, Jim started working as a part-time counselor at Grossmont. Today, he shares his experience and expertise in professional sports with junior college students who aspire to their own careers in sports. He maintains a connection with the Charger organization and frequently attends events as a Charger alumnus. Most importantly, he enjoys sharing time with his lovely wife and indulging in his love of chess.