Have you ever been driving through the borough of Hallam in York, Pennsylvania, and just happened to pass a giant shoe-shaped house on the side of the road? It’s a wonder, to say the least, especially if you aren’t entirely familiar with the area or the unique story behind the shoe’s construction.
Seeing how tomorrow, March 15, is National Shoe the World Day—a global acknowledgment of the necessity of adequate footwear worldwide—I feel a little Haines Shoe House enlightenment may be in order. That’s why, for this Flashback Friday Feature, I’m sharing the intriguing history behind this unique roadside attraction.
A Shoe House is Built
The shoe-shaped structure known as the Haines Shoe House was built in 1948. Noted businessman and philanthropist Mahlon Haines was the structural brainchild behind the design. Originally from Ohio, Haines relocated to York, Pennsylvania, in 1905, where he achieved great success in establishing a shoe business. He even earned the title of “Shoe Wizard” and was generous and well-liked by all his workers and comrades throughout York County and beyond.
His objective in having his Shoe House built was, first and foremost, to promote his business. He modeled the concept after a work boot and even showed the boot to the architect tasked with the building directly. Under his direction, he requested they “build [him] a house like this.”
The architects certainly delivered, and the result was a five-story edifice with all the works. The home’s living room was located within the toe of the boot, with the kitchen at the heel. Two bedrooms were nestled into the ankle. The instep section originally served as the garage but was later converted into a recreational room.
Another of the home’s features was the inclusion of a shoe-shaped doghouse on the property grounds outside.
There’s also a stained-glass panel depicting Haines holding a pair of shoes with a message below it that reads, “Haines the Shoe Wizard.” The addition of fire escapes came in the 1960s.
How Haines Used His House
While Haines never lived in his Shoe House, he eventually built a home for himself and his second wife across the street some years later. As for the Shoe House directly, it was originally lent out as a weekend vacation getaway.
Haines provided the property to 38 elderly couples a year. He also held seasonal contests among his newlywedded employees and those affiliated with his shoe stores. Winners were awarded stays in the house and a free pair of shoes.
New Life and Repurposing
When Haines died in 1962, the house became his employees’ property before they sold it to a dentist two years later. In the decades following, the house was used to conduct tours and even served as an ice cream parlor, where the rec room was repurposed for such an operation.
The Shoe House was purchased by none other than Mahlon Haines’ granddaughter, Annie Haines Keller, in 1987. As owner and operator, Keller oversaw many needed home and property renovations. The site was eventually sold to Charles and Ruth Miller, who continued to carry out tours of the Shoe House up through 2003, when it again switched hands in ownership, being sold to Colleen and Ronald Farabaugh. More renovations were implemented before the building’s seventh owners, Jeff and Melanie Schmuck, briefly took over in 2015. Following Melanie’s death four years later, a local family—Waylon and Naomi Brown purchased the site. Under their new direction, property tour operations were discontinued in 2022, and the Shoe House was repurposed as a rental property.
The Haines Shoe House currently serves as a uniquely themed Airbnb rental. With four beds and three renovated bedrooms, the house can comfortably accommodate up to six guests at a time. The previously mentioned bedrooms have all been refurbished and decorated with creative names honoring the Haines Shoe Company’s history. These include “Shoelace Space”, “Instep Suite”, and “Ankle Abode.”
The other rooms in the house also proudly showcase (or should I say “shoecase”?) the Haines motif via décor, memorabilia, and souvenirs on display.
Recognition of a Regional Landmark
The Haines Shoe House truly stands out as one of the area’s most novel roadside attractions. It was even visited in season eight of reality television series The Amazing Race in 2005. The House was also spotlighted on HGTV’s What’s with That House? in 2007.
Additionally, as a local icon, numerous board games, publications, and other features have come out about the Haines Shoe House over the years. The Shoe even earned an official Historical Marker from the Pennsylvania Museum Commission in 2023 in recognition of its “Programmatic Architecture” and mark on local history.
The Haines Shoe House is located at 197 Shoe House Road, York, PA 17406. For more information or to learn more about booking a stay here, visit the website at www.hainesshoehouse.com.