Haines Shoe House

{{short description|Shoe-shaped house in south-central Pennsylvania, U.S.}} {{Use American English|date=September 2025}} {{Infobox building |name = Haines Shoe House |image = Shoehouse.jpg |caption = in 2008 |location = [[Hellam Township, Pennsylvania]] |address = 197 Shoe House Road |location_city = [[York, Pennsylvania]] |location_country = United States |architect = Fred J. Rempp<ref name=thanks>{{cite news |url=http://www.yorkblog.com/yorkspast/2013/08/13/20-york-businesses-that-built-the-haines-shoe-house/ |title=20 York Businesses that Built the Haines Shoe House |date=August 13, 2013 |newspaper=York Daily Record |first=Stephen H. |last=Smith |access-date=May 18, 2016 }}</ref> |height = {{convert|25|feet}} |other_dimensions = {{convert|17|feet}} wide, {{convert|48|feet}} long |construction_start_date = 1948 |construction_stop_date = 1949 |owner = Waylon and Naomi Brown (2022) |website = {{URL|https://www.hainesshoehouse.com/}} }} The '''Haines Shoe House''' is a [[shoe]]-shaped house in [[Hellam Township, Pennsylvania]], about two miles west of the borough of [[Hallam, Pennsylvania|Hallam]], on Shoe House Road near the [[Lincoln Highway]]. The house is {{convert|25|feet}} high, {{convert|17|feet}} wide, and {{convert|48|feet}} long, and is visible from [[U.S. Route 30 in Pennsylvania|U.S. Route 30]] (US 30).<ref name="airbnb" />

Built by [[Mahlon Haines]] in 1948 to promote his [[shoe store]]s, the house was initially provided as a vacation spot for [[newlywed]]s and senior couples. Subsequent owners have offered it for public rental or operated it as a museum and [[ice cream shop]]. Most recently, it became an [[Airbnb]] rental property.

==History and design== [[File:Haines The Shoe Wizard stained glass front door, Haines Shoe House, York Pa.jpg|left|thumb|Haines The Shoe Wizard]] Modeled after a work boot, the house was built by shoe salesman [[Mahlon Haines]] in 1948 as a form of [[advertisement]].<ref name="Weird">{{cite book |title=Weird Pennsylvania |first=Matt |last=Lake |year=2009 |publisher=Sterling Publishing Company |isbn=978-1-4027-6686-2 |page=131 |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=bfaultPxl18C&dq=haines+shoe+house&pg=PA131}}</ref> His shoe business claimed it made shoes "from hoof to hoof" because the company began the process with raising the cattle.<ref>{{cite book |title=Road Trip USA |url=https://archive.org/details/roadtripusaroute00jami |url-access=registration |last=Jensen |first=Jamie |year=2009 |publisher=Avalon Travel |isbn=978-1-59880-101-9 |page=342}}</ref><ref>{{cite news |url=http://lancasteronline.com/features/trending/how-mahlon-haines-grew-his-shoe-business/article_d044c86c-e3be-11e4-bfdf-cb2c68728283.html |title=How Mahlon Haines grew his shoe business |first=Chad |last=Umble |newspaper=Lancaster Online |date=April 19, 2015 |access-date=April 22, 2017 }}</ref> The house, which is {{convert|25|ft}} tall and contains five [[storey|stories]], was once rented out to couples, and then was open for public tours. It is located on Shoe House Road, next to a shoe-shaped [[doghouse]].<ref name="Weird" /><ref name="Roadside">{{cite web |url=http://www.roadsideamerica.com/story/2202 |title=Haines Shoe House |work=Roadside America |access-date=August 22, 2017}}</ref> Haines requested the design by handing a work boot to an [[architect]] and saying, "Build me a house like this."<ref name="Roadside" /> The living room is located in the toe, the kitchen is located in the heel, and two bedrooms are located in the ankle. The [[instep]] was originally a garage for the house's resident vehicle; this was later used as an ice cream shop and has since been converted to a recreation room. There is also a [[stained glass]] panel that shows Mahlon holding a pair of shoes with a message below it that reads, "Haines the Shoe Wizard".<ref name="follies" /> [[Fire escape]]s were added in the 1960s.<ref name="Roadside" />

==Rental and ownership== [[File:3-4 VIEW. LOOKING NW. - Haines Shoe House, Hallam, York County, PA HAER PA-610-3.tif|thumb|left|A 1999 view of the house]] Haines never lived in the shoe house but in his later years after marrying his second wife he built a home across the street.<ref>{{cite news |url=https://yorkblog.com/yorkspast/haines-wizard-ranch-disc-golf/ |title=Haines' Wizard Ranch and Churchill Downs |date=August 25, 2018 |website=YorksPast |first=Stephen H. |last=Smith |access-date=December 14, 2020 }}</ref> The shoe house was initially made available as a weekend vacation spot for 38 elderly couples a year;<ref name="Roadside" /> the first such couple were John F. and Liza Baum of [[Loganville, Pennsylvania|Loganville]].<ref name=whatsup /><ref>{{cite news |url=http://www.ydr.com/story/news/local/blogs/only-in-york-county/2017/08/12/ask-joan-shoe-house-happy-johnny/104538098/ |title=Ask Joan: Shoe House vacation & Happy Johnny's Gang |first=Joan |last=Concilio |newspaper=York Daily Record |date=August 12, 2017 |access-date=August 22, 2017 |url-access=limited }}</ref> Shoe House vacation contests were also held for a few seasons among newlyweds affiliated with Haines' shoe stores; an early winner in 1950 had all expenses paid for a week, including the service of a maid and chauffeur, and went home with a free pair of shoes.<ref name="Roadside" /> The house was offered for rent by the public in the mid-1950s.<ref>{{cite news |url=http://www.yorkblog.com/yorkspast/2016/06/28/haines-building/ |title=Haines Building on North George Street |date=June 28, 2016 |newspaper=York Daily Record |first=Stephen H. |last=Smith |access-date=April 21, 2017 }}</ref>

Upon Haines' death in 1962, the house was given to his employees, who sold it two years later to a dentist; after about 20 years of tours and service as an ice cream parlor,<ref name=latimes>{{cite news |url=https://www.latimes.com/archives/la-xpm-2003-oct-19-adna-shoe19-story.html |title=There Was an Old Woman Who Lived in a Shoe ... |agency=Associated Press |newspaper=Los Angeles Times |date=October 19, 2003 |access-date=May 3, 2016 |first=Martha |last=Raffaele }}</ref> it started going to ruin until it was bought in 1987 by Haines' granddaughter, Annie Haines Keller, who began renovations.<ref name="follies">{{cite book |title=Architectural follies in America |last=Headley |first=Gwyn |year=1996 |publisher=Wiley-Interscience |isbn=978-0-471-14362-8 |page=193 |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=aRNjFzKJg1oC&dq=haines+shoe+house&pg=PA193}}</ref> After Keller could no longer maintain the house, it was sold to Charles and Ruth Miller, who gave tours for eight years before selling it in 2003 to Colleen and Ronald Farabaugh.<ref name=latimes /> The house received a small renovation and new paint in 2007.<ref name="Roadside"/> The seventh owners were Jeff and Melanie Schmuck, who bought the house in 2015.<ref name=whatsup>{{cite news |url=http://www.ydr.com/story/opinion/columnists/2016/05/10/whats-up-huge-shoe-route-30-column/84190504/ |title=What's up with that huge shoe by Route 30? |newspaper=[[York Daily Record]] |first=Gordon |last=Freireich |date=May 10, 2016 |access-date=April 22, 2017 |url-access=limited }}</ref><ref>{{cite news |url=http://lancasteronline.com/features/trending/new-owners-of-haines-shoe-house-in-york-shine-up/article_143d0b20-e3be-11e4-b4e0-0b649c9a1af2.html |title=New owners of Haines Shoe House in York shine up roadside curiosity |date=April 20, 2015 |access-date=January 4, 2016 |newspaper=Lancaster Online |first=Chad |last=Umble }}</ref><ref>{{cite news |url=http://www.yorkdispatch.com/story/news/2017/03/21/haines-shoe-house-opens-season/99423294/ |title=Haines Shoe House opens for season |first=John |last=Pavoncello |newspaper=[[The York Dispatch]] |date=March 21, 2017 |access-date=April 22, 2017 }}</ref> In 2018, with help by a local lift truck company, a water leak in the house's "toe" was repaired and the exterior was painted in the original canary-yellow color, with a brown sole and highlights added.<ref>{{cite news |url=https://www.ydr.com/story/news/2018/08/01/york-haines-shoe-house-restored-tourist-attraction/875301002/ |title=Water in the toe prompts Haines Shoe House restoration |date=August 3, 2018 |newspaper=York Daily Record |first=Paul |last=Kuehnel |access-date=August 4, 2018 |url-access=limited }}</ref> Co-owner Melanie Schmuck died from "health complications" in February 2019.<ref>{{cite news |url=https://www.ydr.com/story/news/2019/03/01/haines-shoe-house-co-owner-melanie-schmuck-has-died-route-30-york-county/3029591002/ |title=Haines Shoe House co-owner Melanie Schmuck dies |newspaper=York Daily Record |date=March 1, 2019 |publisher=USA Today Network |first=Teresa |last=Boeckel |access-date=March 1, 2019 }}</ref> In late June 2022, Jeff Schmuck announced that a local family was buying the house at the end of July, with plans to offer it for rental via [[Airbnb]]; public tours were to have ended on July 24, 2022.<ref name="airbnb">{{cite news |url=https://www.ydr.com/story/news/2022/06/29/the-haines-shoe-house-in-york-county-will-become-an-airbnb/65364374007/ |title=Iconic Haines Shoe House in York County being sold, turned into an Airbnb |date=June 28, 2022 |newspaper=York Daily Record |first=Angel |last=Albring |access-date=August 17, 2022 }}</ref> Completion of the sale to Waylon and Naomi Brown was announced in August. Four beds provide sleeping space for up to six people in three renovated bedrooms named "Shoelace Space", "Instep Suite", and "Ankle Abode". All rooms are reportedly filled with shoe memorabilia, and "shoevenirs" are available for sale on the lowest level.<ref>{{cite news |title=Taking a look back at the biggest central PA business stories of 2022 |department=Comings and Goings |work=York Daily Record |date=January 6, 2022 |first=Angel |last=Albring |url=https://www.ydr.com/story/news/local/2022/08/08/comings-and-goings-york-county-cheese-company-closes-after-97-years/65391569007/ |url-access=subscription }}</ref> The property began rentals via Airbnb in late 2022.<ref>{{cite news |url=https://www.ydr.com/story/news/2022/11/08/the-haines-shoe-house-reopens-as-an-airbnb-taking-reservations-now/69626295007/ |title=Want to sleep in a shoe? Now you can. The Haines Shoe House reopens as an Airbnb |date=November 7, 2022 |newspaper=York Daily Record |first=Angel |last=Albring |access-date=March 2, 2024 }}</ref>

The Shoe House was visited in the [[The Amazing Race 8|eighth season]] of the reality television series ''[[The Amazing Race (American TV series)|The Amazing Race]]'',<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.realitytvworld.com/news/the-rogers-family-eliminated-from-the-amazing-race-family-edition-3737.php|title=The Rogers family eliminated from 'The Amazing Race: Family Edition'|work=Reality TV World|last=Sellers|first=Andrea|date=October 5, 2005|access-date=December 31, 2019}}</ref> originally broadcast in 2005, and was featured on [[HGTV]]'s ''What's With That House'' in 2007. The Farabaughs were happy about the publicity though not permitted to talk about the house's appearance on ''The Amazing Race'' until two years later.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.allbusiness.com/entertainment-arts/museums-parks-gardens-historical/12218274-1.html |title=The Shoe House takes center stage on HGTV show |first=Charles |last=Schillinger |website=[[Allbusiness.com]] |date=April 18, 2007 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100527080052/http://www.allbusiness.com/entertainment-arts/museums-parks-gardens-historical/12218274-1.html |archive-date=May 27, 2010 |url-status=dead |access-date=April 22, 2017 }}</ref>

The Shoe House received a [[historical marker]] from the [[Pennsylvania Historical and Museum Commission]] in July 2023.<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.wgal.com/article/york-county-haines-shoe-house-gets-state-historical-marker/44592802 |title=Haines Shoe House in York County gets state historical marker |date=July 22, 2023 |work=[[WGAL]] |access-date=August 2, 2023 }}</ref> In July 2025, the house was given top honors among three featured in the second-season premiere of HGTV's ''[[Zillow Gone Wild]]''.<ref>{{cite news |url=https://www.ydr.com/story/news/local/2025/07/18/haines-shoe-house-to-be-featured-on-hgtvs-zillow-gone-wild/85271101007/ |title=Haines Shoe House gets top honors on HGTV's 'Zillow Gone Wild' episode |date=July 18, 2025 |newspaper=York Daily Record |first=Lena |last=Tzivekis |access-date=July 21, 2025}}</ref>

==References== {{reflist|30em}}

==External links== *{{Official|hainesshoehouse.com}} *{{HAER |survey=PA-610 |id=pa3974 |title=Haines Shoe House, Hallam, York County, PA |photos=6 |cap=1}}

[[Category:Houses completed in 1948]] [[Category:Novelty buildings in Pennsylvania]] [[Category:Museums in York County, Pennsylvania]] [[Category:Historic American Engineering Record in Pennsylvania]] [[Category:Historic house museums in Pennsylvania]] [[Category:Houses in York County, Pennsylvania]] [[Category:Tourist attractions in York County, Pennsylvania]] [[Category:1948 establishments in Pennsylvania]] [[Category:Shoe business]]