MARFA — Father-son duo Freddy Benavente, 39, and Axel Benavente, 19, of El Paso, bring a full-service barbershop to Marfa for the first time in nearly five years. Freddy, who works Monday-Friday installing tires at the Right Drive dealership in El Paso, and Axel, who cuts hair from their residence during the week, load up their trailer in El Paso each Friday night and head towards Alpine. They offer haircuts in Alpine on Saturdays and Marfa on Sundays from 11:30 a.m. to 8 p.m. Afterwards, they head back to El Paso on Sunday evening, and do the whole thing all over again. The pair got feedback that it’s “hard to find consistency” in other shops in town, and they want to be different.
The concept for Frescos Barber Shop began after much research on Freddy’s end into concepts for alternative and mobile barbershops. He realized one of the best things he could do in creating a mobile shop was to utilize its mobility and take their business to a place where there was a real need. “We’re here for the people, so they don’t have to travel anymore,” Freddy says, “We come to you.”
More importantly, he wanted to create a business that would not fail, because he wanted a space for his son to succeed at his craft. “This has to work, because it’s for him,” Freddy says, “Everything I do is just for him.” Axel, who is only 19, is already finding success and flow at the shop. “He’s an artist,” he says, “he does designs in his haircuts and also does tattoos. Marfa is a place for him.”
Competition in El Paso and the demand in nearby small towns had a lot to do with their initial voyage to places like Sierra Blanca and Pecos. “At first I thought, there are a lot of shops in El Paso. If I get a mobile barbershop and I do it in El Paso, I might not have that many customers,” Freddy says, “But what if I do it outside? I started asking around, ‘Hey, how much do you guys charge for haircuts here?’ and everyone kept replying ‘Well, we don’t have a barber.’” It was only while cutting hair in Pecos that Freddy got tipped off to Marfa as a viable business option — or a place that existed at all. Pecos locals recommended that they check out the area for the influx of locals and tourists and the lack of services like barbershops.
“Marfa is our favorite place so far,” Axel says, and Freddy nods in agreement. “The people are nice. You see different people every time because there are a lot of travelers, it’s never boring. They treat you like family here.”
Axel, who graduated from Bronx Barber School in El Paso, began cutting hair during quarantine, when the local barbershops temporarily closed down. It was while practicing cutting hair amongst friends during the pandemic that he discovered a love for it and decided to pursue schooling. Always motivated for growth, his father says that as a child he sold candy to neighbors and began washing dishes for a restaurant at age 12. “He’s been hustling all his life,” Freddy says.
Freddy, who studied physical therapy for two years, as well as attended seminary for two years, once planned on being a priest but “put that dream aside” so that he could be with his son “all the time.”
The Benaventes secured their shop trailer from a seller in Georgia, who met them halfway in Houston, after which they took it home to El Paso and began making modifications, adding things like new flooring, a hair washing sink and seating area.
When they first drove into town, they asked an attendant at Uncle’s gas station if they could park in their lot, but they were turned away. The vacant lot across the street, however, proved to be a viable (and lucky) option, as it brings in lots of walk-ins and foot traffic from locals and tourists alike due to its central location. For a business only six months old, they are faring well. Frescos began operating this past May, but only started offering services in Marfa about two months ago.
Marfa hasn’t had a barbershop in consistent operation since 2020, when Strong Barber & Salon moved out of town. Before that, Quintana’s closed their doors for good in 2019. Frescos has been receiving favorable feedback, both for their quality cuts and for providing a consistent option. “People are really happy. People tell us a lot, ‘We are happy you’re here,’” Freddy says.
The Benaventes say that as long as there is a need, they plan to continue traveling. If anything, they may expand the talent and services that they provide. “The mothers that come through with their children have been saying they want their hair cut as well, so we’re thinking of bringing a woman, or someone that knows how to do women’s haircuts, along with us sometime soon,” Freddy says. Axel, who is learning more about tattooing, dreams of perhaps offering tattoos from the trailer someday. And due to the special time they’ve spent in the Big Bend so far, they’ve begun dreaming up a move to Alpine. Axel wants to attend Sul Ross to have a college experience. “Small towns are really different,” he says. “The big cities, they’re not it anymore.”
Alpine and Marfa can look forward to haircuts from Frescos Barber Shop every weekend for the foreseeable future. Their trailer will remain parked near Teja’s T’s at 1610 W Hwy 90 in Alpine every Saturday from 11:30 a.m. until 8 p.m., and at the four-way stop across the street from Uncle’s in Marfa every Sunday from 11:30 a.m. until 8 p.m. “We won’t abandon you,” Axel says, “we’re going to be here for a while.”