Marlen Ramos owns Ralph’s Fifth Avenue Haircutting at 150 Fifth Ave. At the end of February this year, she opened another barbershop under the same name at 215 Fifth Ave.

She took over the original Ralph’s in 2017. The new location had previously been a barbershop, so Ramos thought it would be a good place to expand her business there. Ramos said the population growth that Pelham is experiencing also seemed good for her business.

“I like to be a barber, I like to see the people come into the store with messy hair and I like to see how happy they are with the result,” said Ramos, the owner of the business at both locations. “I enjoy that.”

Frank La Spisa owned Ralph’s for nineteen years before Ramos. While he still works at Ralph’s a few days a week, he offered the business to Ramos in 2021, who was in the shop more often. Ramos felt she could only open another store because Spisa was around to help manage both, ensuring quality control between the two stores.

“I hope to provide the best services in Pelham,” said Ramos. “I like the community and the people in town, and I want to continue to provide my services to them.”