"Ain't nothin' hot here except the haircuts and the video games," one of the razor technicians at Rope's Barber Shop explains as he administers a trim at 9:30 a.m. And in the mornings, that's true. Regulars wait their turn in the chair by playing Pac-Man or Galaga; younger patrons, intimidated by the speed of old-school arcade action, dump their quarters into the candy machine. But after 2 p.m., Rope's becomes boisterous enough to fuel a slew of
Barbershop sequels. Customers engage in animated debates about politics, sports, entertainment and any other topic capable of provoking an emotional outburst.