Back in May, tipster Andrew D. alerted us that a new barber is heading to the former Flavour Shop on 524 Octavia Street.
Now, owner Ryan Gonzalez tells us that Church Barbershop is preparing for a soft opening on August 6th. He owns the business together with his wife Beatrice Gonzalez, the mastermind behind their botanical skincare product.
Ryan said he chose the name because churches represent community and open doors.
"It's a space that we really love and appreciate, and we want to share it with the community," he added.
A San Francisco native, Ryan lived in New York for eight years before returning to Hayes Valley with Beatrice.
"I've always known about this space, I remember when it was the African Outlet," he said. Last October, after learning that the space would become available again, he contacted the realtor.
After the landlord completed a seismic retrofit, he and Beatrice were able to start work. "We had all this extra time [because of the retrofit], so we were able to spend a lot of it on really thinking about the space and designing it," he said.
Next month, the husband-and-wife team plan to introduce the space to the community, followed by an early September grand opening.
The shop will launch with one barber, Gary, and potentially two others to start. Beatrice will handle customer check-ins and scheduling.
Ryan, who's never owned a barbershop, received advice from friends in New York who have experience in the field. Other friends in San Francisco who own businesses in the city shared knowledge with him as well.
"It really helped me with finding out how to do a business plan or what to think about when you go to the Building Department," he said.
Customers will have a chance to sample Church's own skincare products, which will sold in the store later this fall. Products are made in Petaluma and Point Reyes using botanical ingredients.
"When you get a shave from us, we use our own shaving cream," Ryan said. "When you get a haircut from us, we finish it with a cold compress using our own rose water."
As all products are unisex, women are invited to explore them as well. Ryan said he hopes Church will serve men, as well as women who have shorter hair. Clients can book appointments online.
Originally the space was equipped with cement floors, which were replaced with wood, then painted black and white. When they took out the floor, Ryan also learned more about the history of the space.
"When the cement came out, we found a trap door in the back," he said. The portal leads to a basement, which may be converted into a break room for the barbers.
In the past, the basement was used for storage, said Ryan. "A long time ago, this used to be a refrigerator store."
To learn more the opening party and other events, follow Church on Instagram. During its first month, hours will be Wednesday to Sunday from 11am to 7pm.
