Obituaries: Michael Shawn McGinty

September 12, 1964 – April 8, 2025
Michael Shawn McGinty, a beloved San Francisco resident since 1998 and proprietor of Barberology, tragically passed away in his Diamond Heights home on April 8, 2025, at the age of 60. The cause of death is still unknown.
 
Michael was born on September 12, 1964 in Mansfield, Ohio to Thomas and Thyra McGinty. He was later raised by his stepmother, Jane, when his biological mother passed. He is survived by his parents, his sisters Candy, Karla, Heidi, and Cassie, and his brother Chad, and his beloved nieces and nephews. He cherished his family and spoke of them with deep affection.
 
After graduating from Madison High School in 1983, Mike headed to the Great Lakes Naval Reserve Center for basic training. He was assigned to the USS New Jersey (“The BB62”) and served on the battleship throughout the world, returning to the U.S. a military veteran. In November 1989 he was discharged with full honors and the rank of Operations Specialist II.
 
After his service, Mike moved to Los Angeles and Orange counties, eventually settling in Laguna Beach and later in Dana Point.
 
He became a licensed cosmetologist, specializing in men’s and women’s hair styling and color, and he even won a Schwarzkopf award in 1993 (usually given to women in hair science.) Known for his handsome looks, he occasionally modeled professionally.

Mike found the fertile soil in Southern California that nurtured his creative spirit. He dabbled in the visual arts and enjoyed crafting mosaics, painting, and drawing. He applied his keen sense of style to fashion, tailoring, and sewing clothes for himself and friends. At Halloween, he created matching costumes for friends. His impeccable design led to gig work in Hollywood, where he decorated sets for various TV shows and movies.
 
In 1998, Mike moved to San Francisco, leaving behind supportive friends who loved him dearly but who were also frequent visitors to the city. He continued his career in cosmetology at Schierling Salon and Spa in South Beach. In January 2000, he opened Studio 1120, but it closed after a year due to fire.
 
Michael continued to work at various salons, including Hair of the Gods, Shear Bliss, Christopher Enzi, and Joe’s Barbershop. As Mike put it, “I’ve worked at eight different barber shops and hair salons. Having worked in both worlds, there was always pressure to choose one or the other – either men’s hair or women’s hair.”
 
But he also pursued other business interests, including a co-partnership in a furniture import-export business, freelance set decoration for various Los Angeles-based studios, and the occasional freelance engagement in clothes, furniture, and visual design. “I love creating something from nothing,” he would explain, “especially the process of getting there. Part of the journey for me always includes making mistakes, finding work-arounds, and using my imagination. And it’s through this process where I find some of my greatest ideas are born. Fortunately, I get to do this every day. And that’s why I love what I do.”

Michael established Barberology, a salon and barbershop, and a certified Aveda provider, in 2017. He cherished his staff, including those who left before his passing, and those who had been with him since the shop’s inception. As Michael put it, “In trying to define Barberology, I realized it’s just a mashup of cosmetology and barbering. Barberology is where these two worlds can co-exist and creativity has no boundaries. So that’s MY story. OUR story includes you – friends, customers, and support from the neighborhood, and so many people who have guided and mentored me along the way. This journey is just beginning: come by and help us continue the story.”

Michael was a well-known and much-loved member of multiple communities throughout San Francisco. He was active with the Sunday flaggers in Golden Gate Park, a group that describes him as “sunshine and rainbows in human form…a beacon of joy, laughter, and light.” He was an associate member of the Men of Discipline SF Inc. He was “the quintessence of honor and dignity in a leatherman,” and was a well-known – and well-loved – player and advocate within the San Francisco leather and BDSM scene. 

In the year before his passing, Michael devoted much of his free time to the care and cultivation of the three sidewalk garden plots in front of Barberology and Launderland at 380-390 Sanchez Street. To the delight of neighbors, clients, tenants and passersby, Michael successfully transformed these once vacant and dreary little plots into lush and beautiful gardens that feature local succulents, flowering plants, lighting, decorative elements, garden trim, and more. He even built a garden box for another neighbor on the block.
 
The McGinty family in Ohio honored Michael with a military burial and full honors. He is also survived by his chosen family in San Francisco, who likewise suffer the profound loss of his presence every day in their hearts. He touched the lives of so many hundreds of people throughout California and the world, and his legions of friends, lovers, acquaintances, admirers, colleagues, clients, and others mourn his passing.
 
A memorial service is planned at Barberology within the next five to six weeks. Details will be announced. Interested readers can learn more at barberologySF.com or at the shop (380 Sanchez Street at 17th Street).