Offering a More Manly Cut
Studio 505 razors into hair business

Bobby Marcus gives Martin Aragonez a fade haircut at Studio 505 on West Maloney Wednesday. Marcus said that he gets lots of work from regulars, but not much walk-in traffic at his location. [Photo by John A. Bowersmith/Independent]

By Pamela G. Dempsey
Staff Writer

GALLUP — It doesn't have wall-to-wall carpet or a shampoo girl, but this small shop on the corner of Maloney and Third Street seems to give the area's salons a run for their money.

Studio 505 is one of Gallup's few barbershops that cater exclusively to men.

And what makes this one-man shop so different than the beauty shops in town is its specialty: razor fades.

"There's a big difference between this and a salon," said store manager and sole barber, Bobby Marquez. "Cosmetologists can't touch a razor blade."

The razor fades so popular at Studio 505 uses a straight razor to cut hair closer to the scalp than a clipper.

Marquez said a customer's hair is wrapped in hot towels twice, for steaming, and clipped before he takes a straight edge razor to his scalp.

"We're one of the few places in town (that offers this)," he said. "It's one of our specialties."

Most of his clients that request the razor fade are young men between 15-to-25 years old.

"We get a steady flow," Marquez said.

Studio 505 began in 1995 by Jason Gomez, who also owns a Pro-Cuts franchise here in town.

Marquez has been with the shop for more than a year and has built up a steady clientele.

"One you get used to somebody cutting your hair, you don't want to switch," he said.

As such, and because he's the only barber, Marquez said customers will sometimes wait up to two hours for his services and Marquez keeps them entertained with movies on the shop's two TVs while they wait.

During Christmas, Marquez went back home to El Paso, Texas for a week-long visit and the store shut down for the holidays.

But when he returned, he said, he had a lot of customers waiting for a hair cut.

Word of mouth helps too.

Marquez said he built up his reputation by "first, giving them a good haircut."

One customer, he said, referred 10 friends.

Marquez does have his regulars, namely, the customers that come back each week for a razor (or skin) fade and he seems to have developed a good relationship with the community.

He said he once joked with a guy who brought in three kids by offering the kids a mohawk for free.

One kid jumped at the free cut and Marquez said it looked "pretty good on the guy."

What keeps this shop busy, Marquez said, is a good price and specialty cuts.

And it gives Marquez a pretty good living too.

Cuts run from about $9 for a basic cut to $18 for a razor fade.

Studio 505 is located on the corner of Maloney and Third Street next to A-1 Tires. It is open Tuesday through Saturday from 9 a.m. to 6 p.m.