Grooming brand Malin + Goetz debuts new Hayes Valley shop

Grooming brand Malin + Goetz debuts new Hayes Valley shopFounders Matthew Malin (left) and Andrew Goetz with their dog Mr. Greenberg, adopted from Green Mountain Pug Rescue. | Photos: Teresa Hammerl/Hoodline
Teresa Hammerl
Published on January 18, 2019

Hoodline tipster Ben E. alerted us that New York-based grooming brand Malin + Goetz has opened up shop in the former Lavish space at 508 Hayes St. (at Octavia).

Established in New York City's Chelsea neighborhood in 2004, Malin + Goetz offers products for face, body and hair, along with fragrances and candles.

It's best known for its regime for sensitive skin: a cleanser and moisturizer. "We keep it simple with two steps," co-founder Matthew Malin said when we spoke to him at the Hayes Valley shop.

Malin + Goetz may already be familiar to Hayes Valley shoppers: according to the company's website, neighborhood clothing boutiques Welcome Stranger (460 Gough St.) and Azalea (411 Hayes St.) both stock its products, as does Mystic Haircutting (14 Haight St.)

This is the first San Francisco store for the company, which also has outposts in Los Angeles, Santa Monica, Hong Kong and London. But with fewer than 11 locations worldwide, it's not considered formula retail, which is typically barred from Hayes Valley.

"We always loved San Francisco," co-founder Andrew Goetz said, adding that San Franciscans are "totally our customers."

He and Malin, who are partners in both work and life, spent a couple of years looking around the city for a space, but "had a hard time finding a place ... we're not a Union Square brand." After a few spaces on Fillmore Street didn't work out, the pair finally settled on the Hayes Street space, which now employs four people.

To bring the new store to life, Goetz and Malin worked with New York-based Andrew Bernheimer of Bernheimer Architecture, who also designed the company's Hong Kong store. Malin said that no two of the company's stores are identical; the SF store has wood elements that are intended to embody the Pacific Northwest.

In all, it took about six months to make over the Hayes Valley space, and it's still waiting on some finishing touches, like more ceiling lights.

"We'll also add a security gate [at the front of the store]," Goetz told us, adding that neighboring business owners have advised him and Malin about frequent break-ins in the area. (Back in May, a burglar broke into neighboring Wise Sons, stealing some cash and breaking a window.)

The company is celebrating a milestone this year: its 15-year anniversary is coming up in March. To celebrate, it's launching a new fragrance called Stem, capturing the scents associated with gardening. Look for it in the Hayes Valley store next month.


Thanks to tipster Ben E. See something interesting while you’re out and about? Text Hoodline and we’ll try to find out what's going on: (415) 200-3233.