‘I’ll make you famous with the ladies’

By Rick Abasta

GALLUP-Each customer walking through the metal security door at 304 W. Maloney is greeted with blasting heavy metal juxtaposed against scenes from “300” flickering on the television screens.

More often than not, these patrons will also see other customers waiting for their chance to get a haircut from Bobby Marquez, 38, owner of Uncle Bob’s Barber Shop.

In business for over four years, Marquez’s shop has flourished from word-of-mouth advertising and repeat customers. His business was formerly known as Studio 505.

Specializing in razor fades, it isn’t uncommon to see customers waiting for over an hour to get a haircut.

Customers can watch TV or listen to music and read magazines while waiting. Others choose to read the graffiti scrawled on the southwest walls of the shop. Most scribbles are signatures from customers who frequent the barbershop.

Dallas Cowboys memorabilia and posters of Maxim-caliber chicks line the other walls. Mirrors also line the walls, giving customers a chance to see their haircut up close.

“It’s pretty easy. You’re just on your feet a lot,” Marquez commented about being an independent barber.

Open Tuesday through Saturday, the shop averages about 15 customers during the week and double on weekends. The hours are from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m.

The majority of business comes from native customers, he said.

“I got a lot of native power around here,” Marquez remarked.

In 2004, Marquez graduated from Albuquerque Barber College. The six month course gave him an introduction to the basics, which cemented a foundation to his distinctive clean style.

His barber’s license hangs on the wall, alongside a business registration certificate and establishment inspection report.

“I like to make people look good,” he said. “I have a lot of regulars who keep me going.”

One of those regulars is 10-year-old Window Rock resident Taylor Abasta.

Abasta has been a loyal customer to the barber shop since it first opened.

“Bobby’s the best barber around,” Abasta said. “I wouldn’t change barbers for anything.”

With that kind of satisfaction, it isn’t surprising most of the business is from repeat customers. There isn’t too much traffic because of the shop’s location, but the occasional new client will step in from time to time, Marquez said.

Once the new haircut has been completed, customers are hooked because they keep returning for more. The regulars are all I need, he said with confidence.

The secret to his popularity are his fades.

“A lot of places go too high on their fades and I just do a medium fade,” Marquez revealed. “It’s more the custom cuts around here, just exactly the way (the customer) wants it.

“You just got to know the hair. A lot of heads are different, so you just adjust,” he added.

Custom cuts like a fade with dollar signs shaved into the sides of the head are not unusual. Sometimes it’s the box cut, or the occasional Mohawk. The hardest haircut however, is the flat top.

“It has to be just right because you can tell if it’s off,” he said. I have that one down pretty good now. I can more or less do every cut there is, but with my shop, I mostly do short stuff.”

Originally from El Paso, Tex., Marquez moved to Gallup 15 years ago.

“I just came here to visit my sister and the next thing you know, I’m living here,” he said. I like the people. They’re pretty cool.”

On most days, you will hear him talking about his girlfriend Angela, or his pitbull Lola.

Marquez believes barbers are in a league of their own because of their mastery of the straight razor. Barbers hold the straight razor to clean their customers professionally.

“My customers feel good because they know they just got the fresh cut,” he said. “A lot of them have lady friends, so they got to keep it looking right all the time.”

Helping men succeed with the opposite sex makes Marquez happy and he said he hears stories of good times. A good haircut even changed one guy’s bad luck with the ladies.

“I’ll make you famous,” Marquez said. “I’ll make you famous with the ladies and make you stand out in the crowd.”

Information: 505-713-2692