The Noe Valley Voice • July / August 2018
STORE T R E K Store Trek is a regular feature of the Noe Valley Voice, profiling new shops and businesses in the neighborhood. This month we highlight Moe’s, the freshest face in barbershops in Noe Valley.
MOE’S BARBERSHOP AND BEAUTY PARLOR
4008 24th Street near Noe Street 415-648-5161 http://www.moesbarber.com/
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esidents of their building for years, Marcellino Gioia and Duncan Wheeler decided to buy it four years ago when the property went up for sale. With it came a ground-floor retail space, which for decades had housed various hair salons. When the two friends purchased the building, the owner of Mylene’s Hair Salon told them she no longer was able to operate the business. Not wanting to see the stylists working at Mylene’s become unemployed, Gioia and Wheeler opted to run the salon themselves. Working off the design of a barbershop they liked in New York, they updated the interior look of the space. Gioia installed the white and black subway tiles on the walls, while Wheeler assisted with putting in a new wood floor. “We wanted a vintage feel,” explained Wheeler. They opened in January of 2015 as Moe’s Barbershop and Beauty Parlor. The business is named after their Jack
Barber Sarah Schaefer gives Jake Wolbert a trim at Moe's Barbershop.
Russell dog that died in April at the age of 17. His picture still graces the shop and can be found on a shelf above the cash register. “I always wanted a barbershop,” said Wheeler, who grew up in England and has called San Francisco home the last 30 years. “It has been a whole new learning experience. People who have worked in the business for a long time gave us some guidance.” Wheeler, however, does not cut hair, and instead, works as a real estate agent for Compass. Gioia, who moved to the city 25 years ago from New York, was inspired to enroll in barber school after becoming a co-owner of Moe’s. He sees clients Tuesday through Saturday. Previously, he worked as a video editor and
Photo by Pamela Gerard
prior to that in the IT field. “This is my third and final career,” said Gioia, who goes by Marc and attended the Paul Mitchell School run by the San Francisco Institute of Esthetics & Cosmetology, Inc. There currently are four barbers and three cosmetologists working at Moe’s. Each is an independent contractor, with some having worked at the location for decades. Haircuts cost $45, while a buzzcut runs $30. Men can get a facial shave for $45 or a beard trim for $40, while a shave and a haircut costs $80. Children are welcome; the price for their haircut varies, depending on the person they see. “I say to people the haircut is free. It costs $45 to sit in the chair,” joked Sarah
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Schaefer, a barber who has worked in the city for 15 years and joined Moe’s last August. The clientele at Moe’s is mostly adults and skews more male. Yet their tagline for the business is “Cuts & Curls for Guys & Girls.” “We are predominantly a barbershop but do have a women’s stylist side to it,” explained Wheeler. They carry a variety of grooming products for sale made by Layrite, Hanz de Fuko, and Australian brands Kevin.Murphy and Uppercut Deluxe. Although taking over the business was a challenge, Wheeler and Gioia say it has been an enjoyable experience. It has also been a wise investment, as they are providing a service that continues to be in demand. “A barbershop is a fairly standard thing to have in a neighborhood. It is something people are going to always gather at,” said Wheeler. Moe’s is open seven days a week from 11 a.m. to 7 p.m. However, each barber and stylist sets their own schedule and what days of the week they work. Walkins are welcome, while appointments can be made online with two of the barbers and one of the stylists at Moe’s via the website http://www.moesbarber.com/. —Matthew S. Bajko