Shoe House

April 12, 2022 - Diane Schmuck, with the Haines Shoe House, said the attraction is ready to open for the 2022 season.  The Haines Shoe House was the creation of Mahlon Haines, who was locally known as “Haines: The Shoe Wizard.” In the late 1940s, Haines took one of his work boots and asked a local architect to create him a building that looked like the shoe. In 1949, the Haines Shoe House was completed as an advertisement for his shoe business.

Haines, the Shoe House’s original owner, grew up working in his mother’s department store, advertised as “the largest store in the world, built, owned, and controlled by a woman.” His mother, however, declined to make Haines a partner at her store. After a few more business and relationship setbacks, he moved to York and acquired a consignment of shoes from a local department store.

The Shoe House was purchased in 2015 by Diane’s son Jeff and his wife Melanie.   Melanie died suddenly from health complications in 2019, and her husband and co-owner Jeff Schmuck had a difficult decision to make.  “After much crying, thinking, soul searching, and thoughtful discussions with friends and family, we have decided to keep the shoe house open.  Mel would have wanted us to keep the legacy she helped build.”