Our History

McLeay’s Shoes began in the early 1890s when cobbler Ernest Alexander McLeay arrived in Waihi during the gold-mining boom, hand-making durable boots for miners.

By 1894, demand saw him open a shop on Seddon Street. Twice destroyed by fire, the business was rebuilt each time. In 1918, McLeay purchased todays building, securing a permanent home.

The store stayed in the family for much of the 20th century, passing to his son Eric “Pat” McLeay and later other relatives. In 2011, the McLeays sold the business to a well known New Zealand footwear wholesaler, who restored the historic façade and dropped the ‘cLea’ from the name to be rebranded My Shoe Shop.

Today, My Shoe Shop is Waihi’s oldest surviving business and one of New Zealand’s longest-serving shoe stores. Its Seddon Street building is listed in the Hauraki District heritage inventory, recognising its cultural, commercial, and historical importance.