ray

All the way from Puerto Rico, Raymond, brings more than 25 years of experience to Chips Chop Shop. He started cutting hair around age 11 and has built a career that has taken him from Puerto Rico to upstate New York, Miami, and now Pennsylvania.

Along the way, Ray has owned his own barbershop and taught barbering in Puerto Rico. His passion for the craft is undeniable, but it’s the calm confidence of someone who has spent a lifetime mastering it that clients feel the moment he starts working.

Precision cuts. Lightning speed. Fresh! Fresh! Don’t sleep on PR.

Ray is a true all-around master barber. He can work with any hair texture, length, or style—and he’s just as comfortable creating a lightweight speed cut as he is building a fully styled look. He loves a good buzz cut, works beautifully with kids, and may be the best shaver in the shop. Put a straight razor in his hand and he becomes a wizard.

Ray can also bend time. When a last-minute client needs to get in, he can move with incredible speed and still deliver a sharp, finished haircut. But book beard work, a hot towel facial, or a more involved service, and he can slow everything down until you’re practically asleep in his chair. Some clients are finished before they know it; others may happily stay there for two hours.

He’s patient, precise, and confident in every movement. Even nervous clients can feel immediately that they’re in experienced hands.

Ray is usually on the quieter side with English-speaking clients, but the language barrier has never gotten in the way of excellent customer service. He’ll find common ground through sports, family, cars—and calling just about everyone “Papi.” 

Cuando un cliente de habla hispana se sienta en su silla, Ray deja de ser callado. La conversación arranca a toda velocidad, y su español también.

Whether he says a little or a lot, Ray makes people feel welcome. He especially connects with kids, families, Spanish-speaking clients, and anyone who wants a barber with the experience to take control without making the appointment feel rushed.

Ray is a mechanic at heart. When he isn’t cutting hair, he’s usually in his garage working on his car or truck.

He also loves going on adventures with his wife, daughter, and his two dogs—Toro, the Chips bulldog, and Max, a golden retriever. Both dogs also happen to be Hoyt’s best friends.