From Hairdressing to a Family Shoe Store to Head Over Heels

As a family owned and operated boutique, Head Over Heels has always been about more than just beautiful shoes. It is about curiosity, creativity, and a deep love of discovering something special.

Shoes run through generations of Mary Washington’s family. Her great great grandfather was a cobbler in Aberdeen, Scotland, and generations later, the connection remains. Mary and her three brothers all found their way into the shoe world at different points in their lives. A lineage where footwear was not simply worn, but made, sold, and lived.

The story begins with Mary and her daughter Greta. It's about a bold leap, guided by instinct, timing, and a moment of serendipity.

And then, a trip that would change everything.

Settle in. This is where it all began.

Early Beginnings

Q: Can you tell us a bit about the first shoe store you've owned in Temuka? What was it like and what kind of shoes did you sell there?

Mary:
King’s Shoe Store was my first step into retail. It was an old fashioned style store, with shoe boxes on the floor and a real small town community feel. Our focus was very much about serving the needs of the local community, with a strong emphasis on ladies comfort footwear and everyday family needs.
We sold everything from ladies comfort shoes and slippers, to running shoes from Nike and Adidas, men’s shoes and trainers, kids school shoes and uniforms, rugby boots, plus Doc Martens and gumboots for kids and farmers. We were very much a one stop shop in a small country town of around 4,000 people, with a great surrounding farming district.
Fitting shoes correctly and ensuring comfort was always the most important part of the business, alongside genuine customer service. Great service, strong word of mouth, and being good to our community took us a long way.

Q: What role did each of you play in the store at the time?

Mary:
Being an owner operator really meant doing everything. I ran the shop largely on my own, with two very special part time staff members.
I did all the buying, all the selling, accounts, wages, GST, paying bills, and merchandising the store. I opened in the mornings, closed at night, unpacked stock, fitted shoes, swept the floor, and made sure everything was ready for the next day.

Greta:
Mum bought the shop when I was six years old. I remember going there after school, mostly because we knew we would end up with ice creams.
I spent a lot of time in the office, helping lace up shoes, and just being around Mum while she worked. Sales reps used to come into the shop regularly, so I was always watching and observing what Mum was buying and how she made her decisions. Even when I was young, I was quietly soaking up how the business worked behind the scenes.

Q: Greta, you have mentioned you did not always enjoy helping out. What do you remember about those days?

Greta:
I hated working on the shop floor. I was really shy and quite timid, so I found customer service very intimidating in those early days. It really was not my thing.
When I first started working in the shop I did a 5:00 to 5:30 shift so Mum could leave early. Looking back it was such a joke, but my confidence slowly grew from there.

Mary:
If we are completely honest, Greta did not really love selling comfort shoes, school uniforms, slippers, kids shoes, and gumboots. They were not really her scene.

The Buying Trips to Auckland for King's Shoes

Q: What was it like travelling up to Auckland for buying trips back then?

Mary:
I really enjoyed those trips, especially once Greta was older and could come with me. It was nice having someone to talk things through with instead of making every decision on my own. It became a bit of a tradition for us, a mix of work and quality time together.

Greta:
The first time Mum took me to Auckland I was actually struggling with chronic fatigue. She brought me up to lift my spirits and give me something positive to focus on. I was so unwell we had to rest between appointments, but I was absolutely thrilled to see the huge range of shoes.
I had only ever been used to what reps would bring into stores. Coming from a small town, I completely fell in love with the buzz of Auckland.

The Competition and Europe Trip

Q: Can you share the story of the buying fair competition that would change everything?

Mary:

Back then we placed our orders on the spot. A woman mentioned there was a competition where you put your order in a box and could win a trip to Europe.
Not many people actually ordered then and there. Greta was not going to bother, but I told her, “You get back there and put those bloody orders in.”
Somehow we ended up being the lucky winners, and next thing we knew we were heading off to the world’s biggest shoe fair. We were beyond excited. Greta was literally running and screaming around the house.

Q: What was it like stepping into Europe’s fashion scene for the first time?

Greta:
I was completely blown away. I had only ever seen sales reps come through the back of Mum’s shop or done a few trips to Auckland, so stepping into Europe’s fashion scene felt like a whole different world.
There were endless halls of shoes and massive exhibits everywhere, with halls at least the size of two rugby fields. It was honestly mind blowing.
I was a small town country girl seeing all of this for the first time. The scale, the creativity, the fashionable people, the people watching. I was so bloody inspired. It really opened my eyes to how big the world was and what might actually be possible for us.

Q: How did visiting Milan and the world’s biggest shoe fair shape your outlook on footwear and retail?

Mary:
It helped me understand the level we could aim for. It gave me a clearer sense of quality and what good design really looked like.
Instead of just buying what was available, I started thinking more about choosing pieces that felt special and different for our customers. It gave me more confidence to trust my judgement.

Greta:
It made me realise this was the world I wanted to be in. I felt so inspired. The idea of travelling the world to buy shoes we genuinely loved excited the hell out of me.
It also changed how I saw footwear and retail. I stopped thinking of shoes as just stock on shelves and started seeing them as design, personality, and something you could build a brand around. It made me want to be more intentional with what we chose and believe we could create something special back home.

Turning Point

Q: Looking back, what was the biggest spark or realisation that came from that trip?

Mary:
I had always dreamed of opening a fashion store and sourcing products that felt different to what everyone else was offering, something special we could sell exclusively in New Zealand.
But that trip to Europe really lit the fire. Seeing the scale, the creativity, the craftsmanship. It made me realise I did not just want to do this, I had to. That was the moment it stopped being a dream and started feeling like a decision.

Birth of Head Over Heels

Q: Can you take us back to the moment in Timaru when you saw the shop for lease?

Mary:
It was a Friday night. I was in town shopping and noticed a shop for lease. It was not even the best part of town or the right side of the street, but I grabbed the number, called the landlord, and nailed it. 
I did not tell anyone, not even the kids, what I was doing. I was just so set on putting this into action.

Q: What do you remember most vividly about those very first days of Head Over Heels?

Mary:
I felt quite humbled and a little overwhelmed. I was so grateful to have Greta there. She was full of young, passionate energy that really carried us through.
I have always been more understated and quiet, so the buzz around everything felt huge. I just remember feeling incredibly thankful for the positive response, especially after wanting to do this for so long. I was so happy and so excited. It was a really special feeling.

Greta:
I actually left my studies so I could help Mum get the shop up and running. I helped design the fit out and was involved in buying, so by the time opening day came around I was completely pumped.
By then I had grown out of being so shy and timid. The bubbly Greta had really come out. I remember being a super enthusiastic young girl who thrived on helping customers and was genuinely excited about the product.
I never expected to love the retail environment as much as I did, especially after disliking it when I was younger.
We also had such an amazing response from customers. We were one of the first stores to do a really cool fit out, and people absolutely loved it. Everyone was so supportive, celebrating it with us and thanking us for bringing something cool and unique to Timaru.

Reflection

Q: When you look back now, what do you think gave you the courage to take such a leap?

Mary:
Honestly, just passion and determination. I knew I would regret it more if I did not try. When you want something deeply enough, you somehow find the courage, back yourself, and do not overthink it.

Q: What advice would you give to others thinking about turning a small family business into something much bigger?

Mary:
Find a shop, sign the lease, grab your daughter, and do not look back. Follow your passion, back yourself, and remember you are capable of more than you think.

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