Now there is a proposal to change that, curfews for barber shops.
"I was coming from a party 4 a.m. and a barbershop was open, no one in the chair, outside drinking, inside drinking," said Anthony Davis, Paterson City Council.
Paterson City Councilman Anthony Davis and Council President Andre Sayegh say requiring barbershops to limit their business hours to between 7 a.m. and 11 p.m. would totally be a "quality of life" move.
"We have information that some of these locations are hotspots for crime. If you're open beyond 11, I don't believe anything good can happen," said Andre Sayegh, Paterson Council President.
"I question anyone who stays open 4 o'clock in the morning, and no one's cutting hair, come on," Davis said.
Eyewitness News visited two popular shops, busy in the middle of the afternoon, and understanding of the proposal.
"I think that's basically good, no need for 2, 3 a.m. because those are late hours," said Jermaine Kerr, a barber.
"I mean me personally, I'm sleep at that time. I could not see it happening," Raheem McCoy, a barber.
Many barbershops are traditionally perfect spots to socialize and take care of the grooming. One customer said though in the tri-state region, long business hours are sometimes understandable.
"You also have to remember people work all shifts, if they're getting cuts, no problem, if they're hanging out, I understand. But if it legit, I don't see a problem with it," said Keith, a customer.
