Haines Shoe House markets ice cream, history

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It’s the Haines Shoe House.

Standing 25 feet tall and 48 feet long on Shoe House Road in Hellam Township, the work-boot-shaped structure known as the Haines Shoe House was commissioned by Mahlon “the Shoe Wizard” Haines in 1948 to advertise his shoe business.

The structure, which can be seen along Route 30, was completed in 1949. The building is split from cuff to toe into five staggered levels, which include two guest rooms, two bathrooms, a kitchen and a living room.

As a way to give back, Haines offered the shoe as a vacation getaway to poor elderly couples for free. In the 1950s, couples vied in contests to honeymoon there and start their marriages off “on the right foot.”

Much like other iconic buildings throughout the country, the unique design of the shoe house grabs the attention of passersby.

Todd Grove, an architect with York-based Murphy & Dittenhafer, likened the role of York’s shoe house to that of TransAmerica Corp.’s pyramid-shaped skyscraper in San Francisco. TransAmerica is a holding company for several life insurers.

“For TransAmerica, the building became part of the company’s brand,” he said, noting that even though the company’s headquarters is no longer there, the building’s influence is still evident in the company’s logo.

As with TransAmerica, the area surrounding the shoe house has taken some inspiration from the unique structure. Not only is the street named after the historic building, but so is a storage business up the road: Shoe House Mini Storage, at 21 Shoe House Road.

Why shoes?

After breaking up with his fiancée, Mahlon Haines, who lived in Ohio at the time, decided he would head to Washington, D.C., and work for his mother, who ran a department store there. This is according to Diane Schmuck, who relayed the story as she led a group touring the shoe house. She is the mother of the building’s current co-owner, Jeff Schmuck.

In 1905, Haines hopped on his bicycle and started pedaling to the nation’s capital. However, Schmuck said, his bicycle broke down in York.

With no job or transportation, he took his engagement ring to a local bank and pawned it. He used the money to buy 10 pairs of shoes, which he sold at a farmers’ market. Haines decided to call York his home and shoes became his main line of work. Before his death in 1962, he owned nearly 50 stores.

After Haines died in 1968, the house was left to his employees, who sold it to an orthodontist.

Initially, the shoe house had a drive-thru carport, but the orthodontist added an ice cream parlor in its place and started offering tours of the building.

Since then, the business has passed through several hands, including those of Haines’ granddaughter, Annie, who bought it in 1987 and renovated it. York County residents Jeff and Mel Schmuck purchased it in 2015.

“It was like having the keys to Willy Wonka’s [factory],” Mel Schmuck said. “We just had to have it.”

The couple sold five Volkswagens they had collected to come up with a down payment. Jeff works as a real estate agent for Berkshire Hathaway HomeServices Homesale Realty, while Mel owns a bakery business called Mellie’s Makery. And though the couple has added their own touches to the historic building, including vintage furniture and clothing from the 1950s, not a lot has changed.

Each year, the shoe opens on the first day of spring and stays open on weekends. From Memorial Day through Labor Day, hours are extended into weekdays. Patrons can take a 25-minute tour of the shoe for $5 and choose from one of four flavors of Beck’s Ice Cream and maybe even purchase a shoe souvenir to remember the experience. Mel has also added a few of her own treats from Mellie’s Makery, but as she said, she “keeps it simple.”

In keeping with modern times, the Schmucks have added free Wi-Fi. And though the shoe house offers sweet treats, for the Schmucks, it’s the history they’re selling. After purchasing the building, the couple and Jeff’s mother, Diane, spent a lot of time researching Haines and the building. In understanding and telling the history of the shoe, the Schmucks feel Haines and his history will live on.

They’ve also sought out assistance from the community in locating artifacts to add to the memorabilia that came with the building. They have also added their own antiques to recreate photographs of how the bedrooms and bathrooms looked during their heyday.

“We own a piece of history and not many people can say that,” Mel said. “For us, it’s important to keep things accurate and keep sharing those stories. That’s what people come here for, and they love it.”

Indeed people come from all over the world to visit the shoe house. Last year, the Schmucks said they had visitors from nearly all 50 states and from 38 countries.

And the shoe remains a favorite for local residents as well. Though the history is what tends to attract those from far away, Mel said it’s the ice cream that makes the business a favorite in York County.