Mills Footwear takes final walkabout

Margaret and Garry Mills in their Taradale shoe shop, which is closing down. Photo / Warren Buckland

The last two pairs of shoes to leave Mills Footwear will be on the feet of owners Garry and Margaret Mills when they finally close the doors of the 61-year-old Taradale store.

Although it’s the “right time” for the couple to bow out, their departure will be bittersweet.

“Shoes are in my blood. My parents met in the original shop. Dad would bring the travelling reps into our home for dinner. They’d be on a first-name basis. It would take them a week to get around each district’s shoe stores,” Garry says.

Mills Footwear in Taradale is having a closing down sale. Photo / Warren Buckland

Garry took over the reins of the Taradale-based business from his father Rex, who had been given one of three stores to run when grandfather Leslie bought a store for each of his three sons in 1961 - there’s also one in Hastings and Napier. The Taradale store was purpose-built as a shoe shop by landlord Mason Waterworth. The Waterworth family were the landlords until a change of ownership three months ago.

Garry says he began his working life in the store after going to help out his dad.

“I came in for six weeks to help Dad out when he was sick. That was around 42 years ago - I stayed on.”

Margaret joined the team, with retail assistant Sylvia Thompson coming on board in 2005. Garry says there have been a lot of changes over the years.

“In its heyday, there were 20,000 people employed in the manufacture of shoes in New Zealand. Now, you’d be lucky if there were 500.”

It all started to go downhill when the big box stores came to town, Gary believes.

“They killed the shops. We mainly survived because it’s harder to buy shoes online.”

Shoes sold by Mills Footwear were all originally manufactured in New Zealand. They stocked a range of sporting footwear, including ballet and cricket shoes, rugby boots, work boots and gumboots. A small museum in-store displays a selection of shoes sold over the ages, with price tags attached. Garry says along with styles, quality and pricing have also changed.

A display of historic shoes in Mills Footwear Co, Taradale. Photo / Warren Buckland

“In the ‘50s, a good pair of men’s shoes would cost a week’s wages. They were beautifully constructed.”

Garry describes himself and Margaret as “Mr and Mrs Hushpuppy”.

“We go for comfort and quality. I’d say we are more casual and definitely cater for the older age group.”

Mills has had many repeat customers over the years, and Garry says they are now seeing the children and grandchildren of original patrons, some of whom remember stepping up onto a platform to sit in front of a large picture of Noddy.

“Some of those kids are now coming back as retirees. Also, when my father owned the shop, when a new baby was born in Taradale, he would give them their first pair of shoes.”

Garry says closing down the shop was going to come at some stage, and he and Margaret are looking forward to retirement, spending time on their lifestyle block and “driving off into the sunset” in their caravan.

“We’ll leave the shop when the last shoe walks out the door.”