Pennsauken Township barbershop owner offers free back-to-school haircuts

PENNSAUKEN TOWNSHIP, New Jersey (WPVI) -- It can be tough to sell a kid on the barbershop, but Jose Lopez at Got Cut in Pennsauken Township, New Jersey has figured out a way to get them comfortably in the chair.

"The first reaction of kids who come to the barbershop is they're crying, so I made it eye-catching," he said.

He's designated an area of the shop for kids, complete with bright colors and plenty of games.

His first kid client of the day is 6-year-old Niko Velez, who is starting the first day of first grade this week.

Lopez recognizes that back to school can be an even more stressful time for moms and dads than it is for the kids in his chair.

"Some people don't have it," said Angel Velez, Niko's dad. "A lot of parents are spending money on school supplies."

That's why Velez and the rest of the crowd in the shop chose Monday to make an appointment.

For the second year, Lopez was offering free haircuts and free backpacks filled with school supplies for all the kids going back to class.

"It's an event I hold dearly because I know the struggle," Lopez said. "You never know, a book bag and a haircut could change somebody's life."

Niko was definitely feeling that confidence now that he's ready for his favorite week of the year.

"God bless him. God bless you Joey, you're doing a great thing," said Velez.