This is the little barber shop I rent in Marfa, Texas.

Marfa is a rad little town that is very similar to Austin and Portland. It only has close to 2,000 people who live here. Tons of art here, you meet people from all over the world. Lots of people have moved here from all over America... lots from New York City, some from Los Angeles, some from Houston, Austin...

The shop is called "La Escondida" Spanish for "The Hidden One."

I rent it from an older gentleman. He's 83, looks 63, and is STRONG as hell! If he taps you on the shoulder you may get a bruise.

Anyways, this gentleman was born and raised in this town. He left in 1949 for El Paso and came back in 1986. His main career was border patrol & sheriff. He obtained a barber license in the 1950s. He told me that he used to cut (if I'm not mistaken) the hair of a high school football team (I'm assuming this was in El Paso) and someone who was a barber took notice and suggested he go to barber college. He went and became licensed. 

Anyways, me, I'm 19 and just got my license last December. I came to Texas from Southern California to go to barber college. I came to this state in September 2010, lived in Marfa for just about a month and a half, and went off to San Antonio to start school. While I was here, my cousin who had recently finished barber college there in San Antone had told me that the school he went to, which was the one that I had planned on going to wasn't so great. He told me that a new one would soon open up! Alamo City Barber College. I found it online and signed up over the phone. A few days later I moved to San Antonio, and had just a little under two weeks until the school opened up.  There were 9 students the first day... So anyways  I started school November 30th, 2010, and finished September 17th 2011. The state of Texas requires 1500 for one to go to school to become either a cosmetologist or barber, a written exam, and then a practical exam. The written exam asks about proper shaving strokes, lots about sanitation, a question or two about history etc.. The practical exam requires a live model and procedures, (in order) a shampoo, blow dry, haircut (haircut must be done using clippers and shears, and must be tapered) shave, and then (I hate to say it) facial. After you complete the facial the live model, the model must leave the building (this site was in a big medical kind of building) and then the student candidates must, on a mannequin, do a mock color retouch using cholesterol, a mock relaxer using cholesterol, and then wrap three perm rods. I have no idea why facials and color retouches etc are required for a BARBER exam, but they are at least here in Texas. The procedures must be performed in compliance with set sanitation standards.

Um, I hope I haven't written too much, but I have gotten a lot of attention for renting this little place. I gave it a little TLC, and added some of my own things. (People LOVE the Brigitte Bardot poster I have in there.) I charge $12  a cut and specialize in classic cuts. I can do it all, but classic cuts are what I really care about.....

I have a tumblr site where I have some photos of haircuts (I need to take more, always forget) and lots of the shop etc..

Barbiermarfa.tumblr.com

When I cut your hair you may hear music from Dean Martin, Edith Piaf, France Gall, Hank Williams, Buck Owens... Read a newspaper or two while you wait.