Cancel

    Open app

    Search

    Haines Shoe House

    4.5 (39 reviews)

    Haines Shoe House Photos

    You might also consider

    Recommended Reviews - Haines Shoe House

    Your trust is our priority, so businesses can't pay to alter or remove their reviews. Learn more about reviews.
    Yelp app icon
    Browse more easily on the app
    Review Feed Illustration

    Reviews With Photos - Haines Shoe House

    Shoe-themed stained glass
    Rachel C.

    I visited the Shoe House on a day when it was closed. I really came for the house not the tour or ice cream, but both would have been nice! You can still get a old view from outside the fence, which also features shoes. A very easy stop off of the highway and cute piece of roadside Americana!

    Sign that is seen on Route 30 East
    Christopher C.

    So let's start this one by saying that everything you either knew in the past about the Shoe House or had heard about the Shoe House is now obsolete. You know what I'm talking about, the crazy no picture taking of the interior policy or the website that looked like crap and had little to no information about such minutia such as hours of operation or prices. But now there are new sheriffs in town as of 2015 and such nonsense has been replaced with a far more approachable & friendly attitude that makes coming here the ultimate roadside curiosity/junket/ side trip. The condensed version of the house's history goes something like this: The house was the idea of eccentric businessman Mahlon Haines. Part Milton Hershey (he believed heavily in religion and the Boy Scouts) and part Richard Branson (not afraid in the least to do about anything including self exploitation if it meant advertising to sell more shoes) Haines had the house built by showing a work boot to an architect with the directive of "Build Me a House Like This". The end result is what still stands today with a three bedroom house that has a kitchen, dining room and two bathrooms which were completed in 1948. The house itself is 48 feet long (48 feet long and built in 1948 - coincidence???), 25 feet tall on five levels with several stained glass windows including the infamous one of Haines himself holding two shoes above his own nickname Haines the "Shoe Wizard". Haines only briefly lived in the house. Instead he saw a greater use for it as a marketing tool. Haines used the house for years to give all expense paid week long stays to newlywed & elderly couples in the area. This included maid service and a chauffeur who would take the couples wherever and naturally at the end of the stay everybody left with free Haines shoes. Haines could afford to do such things because at the height of his company's fortune he had over forty stores in PA and Maryland along with a seven figure net worth. His wealth was divided at the time of his death to several charitable organizations along with his church and sadly not long after his death the Haines Shoe Company ceased to exist. When Haines died in 1962 at age 87, he left the house to his employees, who sold it to a dentist two years later. It operated for about 20 years as an ice cream parlor, and building tours were available. Haines' granddaughter, Annie, bought it in 1987 and renovated it, but the bank repossessed it because she was unable to keep maintaining it. With that out of the way let's talk about what's actually there currently: Hours are from 11-7 Wednesday-Saturday and Sunday 11-5 from the first day of Spring until November. The price is $5 per person (cash or credit/debit although they charge an extra fifty cents for credit/debit transactions) and on the first floor (the former carport) there is a small bakery which smells divine when the cookies & cupcakes are being rendered by one of the owners. They also carry ice cream from Beck's in York, PA. An updated website is on the way and for right now all needed info is on the shoe's FB page. www.facebook.com/HainesShoeHouse The tour itself is not very long but it's truly interesting as where the hell else can you tour a house shaped like a shoe plus there are a lot of interesting vintage pieces in the house (most not original but of the period) plus Haines's story is very unique in and of itself? This is by no means a destination onto itself but if you're rolling by on Route 30 and you've got an extra hour to kill the Shoe House is a very bizarre/cool/odd/interesting attraction that is worth the visit.

    Dog house at shoe house
    Sunny W.

    This fun stop was the Haines Shoe House. It was built by a shoe salesman named Mahlon Haines in 1948 as a promotional gimmick to sell shoes. It worked! Touring the house was interesting. It was like an early "tiny house" with 3 bedrooms, kitchen, living room and bathrooms. The history is fascinating. The tour cost $5 and was worth it. You got to see the advertising memorabilia of the original owner. The gift shop is small and there is an ice cream shop within the space. Great photo op.

    Jon B.

    We've been trying to get here for a while, but the store hours never seem to work. Once we finally got here it was a fun stop. We simply had some ice cream from the little shop. There's not much room inside the store, but there's plenty to do outside if the weather is nice.

    the shoe house
    Dan R.

    The Shoe House has always been on my list of odd places to visit, and thanks to Gingersnaps review, I finally decided to go one afternoon. There was some parking in the back of the house, which is just off the Hallam exit of Rt 30. The tour itself was 4.50 per person, kids are free, and there is no inside photography (I guess they want some security or privacy.) Its run by a husband and wife who live in York County. The house was originally built in 1948 by millionaire Mahlon Haines a local shoe salesman, who had nearly 40 stores throughout Pennsylvania and Maryland. Word is he'd let newlywed couples stay there for free. (not sure why, because he was insanely rich?) It was owned and run by different people over time and has offered tours & ice cream going back decades. The tour starts in the sole of the shoe, then goes up and shows you the bedrooms and bathrooms, storage areas. All of the rooms had pretty unique storage, and the 2nd bathroom had a sink in the hallway, it was very cozy. Tons of stuff in the house was shoe related. Some rooms had miniature shoes, shoe bedspreads, pictures of shoes, shoe toothbrush holders, etc. There was even a birdhouse and dog house in the shape of a shoe! Finally the tour goes down to the heel, where there is a kitchen and a small gift shop. The shop itself had little trinkets, magnets, snacks and ice cream. It was alright, the owners gave us a small picture for our daughter to color. There were lots of stairs to climb and it wasnt wheelchair accessible. Not sure, but might be cash only.

    Shoe House Road
    Stacie C.

    Ever since viewing the Pennsylvania Road Show many moons ago, the Haines Shoe House has been on my list of things to see in PA. I'm glad I waited because the new owners (as of early 2015) have worked to return the shoe house back to its old glory. Located along the Lincoln Highway on Shoe House Road, the Haines Shoe House was originally built by shoe salesman Mahlon Haines as a way to advertise his business. Newlyweds and elderly couples would be invited to stay in the work boot shaped house. There's even a smaller shoe shaped doghouse outside along with a spacious area for family picnics. I stopped by with a friend one weekday afternoon to find Melanie Schmuck (one of the new owners) inside the small ice cream shop found underneath the shoe house. She told us how she grew up nearby and had fond memories of visiting the site. She was heartbroken when the place fell in disrepair had a dream of returning the Haines Shoe House to it's original splendor. Melanie and her husband Jeff (along with their devoted family) have worked tirelessly on the restoration. For $5/person, Melanie's sister gave us a personal tour inside the Haines Shoe House. It's remarkable how big it seems once you're inside. There is a living room and a kitchen area as well as the bedrooms. The attention to detail is outstanding. The Schmucks have used items like old advertising fans, shoeboxes and old shoe sizers to decorate the house. They've taken great care to acquire these items and even have letters from couples who stayed there back in the day. The ice cream shop offers local ice cream and some homemade baked goods. I had a refreshing float (Sprite with mint chocolate chip at Melanie's suggestion) for under $5. I always like a good "local kid makes good" story like this. The Haines Shoe House is a roadside attraction worthy of your attention thanks in no small part to the dedication and research done by the owners.

    J L.

    Neat little ice cream shoppe in a shoe, The shoe house is very cool,we did the tour and she explained how Mr Haines came about making the shoehouse. Melanie is kind and very welcoming she added her touches of older shoe memorabilia to the house too. I had chocolate marshmallow ice cream was delicious!!! She had little peg games shaped like a shoe on the table cute touch!! Its $5 per person over 5yrs not bad at all. Ice cream was very reasonable in price 2.75 for one scoop. She said she welcomes people to picnic outside there are tables. I would recommend its a nice place and something different to see.

    GingerSnap G.

    I think it's a great piece of kitsch!! And area history! It's nestled in a tuft of farmland, just a small stretch away from the main roads and 'civilization'. You can go there for an inside tour... it's actually a fully functional house, and you can walk through the bedrooms, kitchen, see the bathrooms... it's a little 'home spun'... very cutely decorated. but unfortunately no interior pictures are allowed, nor did I see any for sale by way of postcard of the like. *sigh* When I went, the tour cost $4.50 pp, kids were maybe $3?? and under 3 were free. We had 6 people on our tour and it got a little bit cramped, which was to be expected. There is a dinette sort of place where the garage used to be, that sells a single design tshirts, postcards, and serves ice cream. The house is owned by a couple that seems to maintain and run the joint. The husband (??) was so nice, offered to take a picture outside, and was just setting up their new mailbox that he made to replicate the shoehouse. I really appreciate that they are preserving a piece of area history and sharing it with the public! Definitely something to check out if you're in the area!

    Stephanie H.

    My family and I are visiting from Kentucky and I came across The Haines Shoe House while searching for something to do with the kids. I highly suggest visiting the shoe house! The owner is very friendly and personable, she was so nice and so was the tour guide. Let's face it, when will you have another opportunity to go inside of a house that looks like a shoe?! And a huge bonus is the locally made ice cream and a raspberry ice cream sandwich that I could eat every day! She also has homemade cookies and brownies or ice cream floats!

    Lore D.

    Interesting house built in 1948 with ice cream shop on the back. There is even a shoe house built for a Great Dane that lived at the property long ago. Interesting true story about a very generous self-made millionaire. You will have to visit to learn more. 2 hours flew by in a quaint PA rural town.

    Haines Shoe House

    See all

    1 year ago

    Helpful 5
    Thanks 1
    Love this 5
    Oh no 0

    9 months ago

    Helpful 1
    Thanks 0
    Love this 1
    Oh no 0

    3 years ago

    Helpful 4
    Thanks 0
    Love this 2
    Oh no 0

    3 years ago

    Helpful 3
    Thanks 1
    Love this 1
    Oh no 0

    6 years ago

    Helpful 9
    Thanks 0
    Love this 7
    Oh no 0

    4 years ago

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0

    11 years ago

    Helpful 2
    Thanks 0
    Love this 1
    Oh no 0
    Photo of Sunny W.
    0
    161
    167

    5 years ago

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0

    5 years ago

    Helpful 1
    Thanks 0
    Love this 1
    Oh no 0
    Photo of Jon B.
    3
    380
    2588

    7 years ago

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0
    Photo of S B.
    0
    83
    104

    5 years ago

    Helpful 1
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0
    Photo of Melody M.
    14
    111
    124

    5 years ago

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0
    Photo of Dan R.
    197
    998
    4569

    17 years ago

    Helpful 8
    Thanks 0
    Love this 4
    Oh no 0

    4 years ago

    I remember my dad taking my sister and I here all of the time when we were little. A nice little place to go with your family.

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0

    10 years ago

    Helpful 3
    Thanks 0
    Love this 3
    Oh no 0
    Photo of J L.
    1
    27
    36

    9 years ago

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0

    17 years ago

    Helpful 1
    Thanks 0
    Love this 1
    Oh no 0

    5 years ago

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0
    Photo of Roy B.
    0
    28
    5

    7 years ago

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0

    8 years ago

    Helpful 1
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0
    Photo of Lore D.
    3
    31
    15

    8 years ago

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0

    4 years ago

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0
    Photo of Garry T.
    7
    106
    65

    12 years ago

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0

    11 years ago

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0
    Photo of Claire B.
    5
    117
    29

    13 years ago

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0

    8 years ago

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0

    8 years ago

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0

    11 years ago

    Helpful 2
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0
    Photo of M. M.
    6
    575
    18

    11 years ago

    Helpful 1
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0

    10 years ago

    Helpful 2
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0

    11 years ago

    Helpful 2
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0

    16 years ago

    The Shoe house was awesome. The owner was very informative & knowledgeable about the history behind the shoe.

    Helpful 1
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0

    8 years ago

    Helpful 1
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0

    13 years ago

    Helpful 1
    Thanks 1
    Love this 0
    Oh no 1

    10 years ago

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0
    Photo of Amy R.
    94
    12
    9

    10 years ago

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0

    11 years ago

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0

    9 years ago

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0
    Photo of P W.
    0
    14
    0

    16 years ago

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0

    Ask the Community - Haines Shoe House

    Verify this business for free

    People searched for Ice Cream & Frozen Yogurt 1,125 times last month within 10 miles of this business.

    Verify this business

    The Turkey Hill Experience

    The Turkey Hill Experience

    3.9
    (366 reviews)
    7.3 mi
    $$

    I was gonna take my daughter to North Museum of Nature and Science...but the tickets were sold out…read moreon Easter morning. Then I found Turkey Hill Ice cream Experience only 30min away from Lancaster, and decided to visit. We bought the double scoop experience (comes with ice cream test lab) and obviously that was the highlight of the place! The test lab is about 45min experience and the whole thing with self-guided tour takes about 1hr 30min to 2 hours depending how crowded it is. The visit was fun and of course my 5-year-old daughter had a great time eating tons of ice cream!

    Visted on the 4th of July, perfect tourist attraction for locals and all ages…read more Even being solo for the experience, with families and kids was relaxing, and pleasent. Admission prices are reasonable, and who doesnt love unlimited samples of iced tea, and lemonade, icecream on a hot day. Vistors have a choice between one scoop, two scoop, or three scoop attraction. I choose one scoop; hilights of my visit- learning history of Turkey Hill, process of icecream being made, creating a virtual icecream flavor, watching the production , live from interactive camera in one of the exhibits. Be sure to take the few moments, to watch the introduction video. My favorite ice cream sample flavors were Graham Slam & Blueberry Lemon Pound Cake. An attraction must, well visiting Lancaster, PA. My recommendation would be too sell a few more flavors that you offer , with unlimited tastings. My favorite was orange icedtea.

    Photos
    Free sample of yummy Black Raspberry ice cream
    Free sample of yummy Black Raspberry ice cream
    TASTE LAB
    TASTE LAB
    Exterior

    See all

    Exterior
    Patches Family Creamery

    Patches Family Creamery

    4.6
    (62 reviews)
    25.7 mi
    $

    If you're in the Lebanon area and need a quick, easy outing with kids, this spot is such a gem…read moreespecially on a beautiful day. We found it just a 7-minute drive from the Lebanon Expo Center, and it ended up being the perfect last-minute plan. There's no cost to see the animals, which is a huge win, and my kids could've stayed there forever just interacting and watching them. There's also a playground on-site, which made it easy to extend our visit. A little market inside with local goods.The ice cream is so good definitely worth getting. We ended up staying about 2 hours, but I'd say most families stay closer to 30 minutes to an hour. There's a nice flow of people coming and going, so it never felt overcrowded. Things to Know Before You Go... *Parking can get a little busy, especially with park traffic *You can park on the grass if needed *There's a drive-through, so just be mindful of cars moving through while walking around This is such a great free to low-cost option if you want something simple, fun, and kid-friendly without overplanning. It's one of those places you can pop into and still feel like you made a full outing out of your day. I also want to include that this is a family owned farm.

    We love patches! If you have kids this place is a dream as a parent. Feed the animals, enjoy the…read moreopen space for kids to run around, they have a nice size playground. The service is fantastic. Every single employee wished us a Happy Easter, was smiling and very helpful with suggestions! The ice cream here is incredible! Homemade for sure. We got a white chocolate raspberry cheesecake cone and a chocolate marshmallow milkshake. Now get this! You can use their homemade chocolate milk in their milkshakes! This really does take the milkshakes over the top. Check out patches! Definitely a hidden gem in Lebanon!

    Photos
    Patches Family Creamery
    Patches Family Creamery
    Watch them process the milk.

    See all

    Watch them process the milk.

    Haines Shoe House - icecream - Updated July 2026

    Loading...
    Loading...
    Loading...