Introducing The Shoeshine Guild

Click to watch the video

Our Mission

We have been providing expert service to the Bay Area and beyond since 1996.  Not only that, but our deeper mission is to provide stabilizing employment to people who have suffered from Alcohol Use Disorder, and others with related challenges. We privilege those who have less privilege wherever possible.  We support re-entry into the workforce after career gaps that many employers would find objectionable.  After workers have been with the company for a period of time, they have option to join the LLC and become owner/operators.  This culture empowers a natural gratitude and dynamism; one where what blesses one blesses all- and that shine keeps on shining!

During the pandemic, we shut down all locations. Rachel Leamy who has been the operations partner since 1999 is keeping the business alive with the post-pandemic re-boot.  Currently we have rebooted One Embarcadero , 555 California, and Salesforce Transbay Terminal. 

We are re-branding from “A Shine & Co.” to “The Shoeshine Guild,” and we have big plans to expand our socially conscious entrepreneurship offering guild membership to shiners and helping people to start their own shine businesses all over the globe. 

We are currently boasting a shine team of delightful young students as well as keeping up with our original mission of supporting recovery from Alcohol use disorder.  The Shoeshine Guild began in 1996 as “A Shoeshine & Company,” with Kevin Tuohy as our sole proprietor. We had one portable shoeshine chair and a couple of shiners, who together began marketing to conventioneers who wanted to put something special in their booth. We capitalized on the dot-com boom and the swing music revival, becoming expert swing dancers as well as stellar shiners. More shiners showed up- interested in the retro themed industry, and together we created a business that would be the best in its class while showcasing the unique people who formed it. Not only have we shined shoes, but we’ve performed swing dancing, bluegrass music, jazz music, improvisational acting and comedy, specially designed entertainment packages, manicures/pedicures, and we’ve even formed a promotional cheerleading squad!  

The most important common bond among the original crew members is that we are all recovered alcoholics. Together, we created a place to work and grow as industry leaders and as people. The atmosphere of like-mindedness created support and positivity that none had imagined would be so beneficial for all concerned. Governor Grey Davis actually presented us with an award for “Providing a Joyous Contribution to the Community.”

Meghan (Scanlon) Reynolds was promoted from Bank of America site manager to Financial Partner. Later that year, we opened in the Russ Building, adding full-service shoe repair to all of our shops. In October 2008, we went bi-coastal, adding two new stands in Jet Blue’s terminal 5 at JFK.  Kevin relocated to New York to run operations there. In February 2009, we brought our Five Star services to 1 Embarcadero Center. We later expanded in New York adding a  kiosk in Chelsea Market in Manhattan and adding 4 stands in The Delta Terminal, LaGuardia Airport.

With so much action in NY, we promoted KeaLani Lada from General Manager San Francisco, to Managing Partner NY. 

During all of the primary expansions mentioned, we have continued to provide unbeatable event services and have simultaneously opened and closed many stands as supply and demand has waxed and waned. We’ve been the focus of many a news program or article. 

We’ve been featured in a documentary film about shoe shiners.  We’ve held concessions at The Moscone Center, The Olympic Club, Westin St. Francis, Macy’s Men’s Store, 560 Mission St, and Oakland’s Frank Ogawa Plaza. We’ve served many San Francisco and New York offices with our roaming shine service, and we have a long list of satisfied customers. We trust that you will be one of them if you aren’t already!