I’m an enormous Chip and Joanna Gaines Fixer Higher fan and got here to Waco from New Zealand simply to go to Magnolia Market on the Silos!
My husband had no concept the place we have been going. To him (and folks of a sure period) Waco is synonymous with the horrific cult and hearth 30 years in the past on the Department Davidian compound, about quarter-hour out of Waco.
However within the final 10 or so years, energy couple – and the sweetest individuals you would watch on TV – Chip and Joanna Gaines, have put Waco Texas on the map for different causes. They each grew up and went to school right here, and now they’ve established an empire, using round 500-600 individuals throughout a number of places.
So, to your query: is it well worth the 13-hour flight to Houston and the four-hour automotive trip (through an evening in Galveston on the Gulf Coast, only for enjoyable)? You guess!
And never solely did I go to Magnolia Market on the Silos in downtown Waco twice, however I’d booked us right into a home that featured on the present.
We stayed on the Shotgun Home, (you possibly can see my pictures and walk-through video) which is on the market to hire on-line, together with 4 different properties I discovered and added reserving hyperlinks to. It’s inside strolling distance (possibly a mile) of Magnolia Market, however we had a automotive. Though parking will be difficult over there!
Such is the affect of the Gaines’ companies on Waco that new resorts have been in-built downtown round their market, simply since Covid. And the couple have been nonetheless engaged on their lodge fixer higher after we have been there. Pic beneath.
Followers of the present may even love driving round Waco a number of the different properties that featured on Fixer Higher. Just like the superb citadel, and the nation home with the German schmear on the crimson bricks.
Previous to their vastly profitable Fixer Higher present, Waco was a university city most well-known for Baylor College. Folks solely got here right here as a result of they have been both attending the faculty or visiting their youngsters who have been.
Chip Gaines is a Baylor alumni and so is Joanna, a woman from Wichita, however they didn’t truly meet there. It’s a really cute story in itself, however when Chip first noticed her image hanging on a wall in her dad’s auto storage, he thought “I’m going to marry that woman”. And so he did.
And 5 youngsters and a private wealth of $50 million later, they’re single-handedly remodeling the financial system of sleepy Waco.
We drove across the homes inside a number of blocks of the Market, which they constructed round two previous silos within the coronary heart of downtown, beside the railway line.
The very first thing we seen was some surrounding companies benefiting from Magnolia’s success, with Joanna’s signature white buildings with black trim, additionally getting used round city for different shops.
Driving by downtown Waco, you’ll discover a number of the second hand and vintage shops Joanna outlets at. You’ll additionally discover town appears to be in a state of renewal. So what do the locals consider the Magnolia empire?
I requested about this once I met the PR man who handles tourism for Waco on the journey convention I went on to attend in San Antonio. What do the locals consider the Gaines’ affect? What was Waco about earlier than Chip and Joanna and the mighty Magnolia? Are some individuals anti the Gaines household and their $50m price, drawing throngs of vacationers annually to the quiet streets of small city America?
Waco was (and nonetheless is) a college city. Baylor College is a prestigious faculty, however that was about all you got here to Waco for. Except you got here for that “different” motive…
Most individuals love what Chip and Joanna have carried out for Waco, he instructed me, placing it on the map for all the best causes and bringing new enterprise alternatives to many locals. The previous saying {that a} rising tide lifts all boats is true right here.
Driving round Waco, this isn’t a rich city. I can’t consider why you’d wish to reside right here, apart from Baylor. However now, due to the actually thousands and thousands of vacationers who make day journeys from Dallas and Austin, who add Waco to their Texas street journeys, new companies can and are flourishing right here.
Simply within the final couple of years three new resorts have been constructed within the downtown space, between Magnolia Silos and Baylor. And there’s a lot of potential to develop empty land or repair up and flip run down homes.
I’m positive Chip and Joanna would agree, that they’ll’t repair all of them, so have at it for anybody who needs to.
The newest mission within the Magnolia empire is fixing up a lodge on the town, about three blocks from the Silos. That is their largest mission thus far and I can’t wait to see the six-part sequence that wrapped filming in August 2023.
So what’s Magnolia Market like and is it price coming to Waco for?
When you like Pottery Barn and Crate and Barrel, then you definately’ll love Joanna Gaines’ nation stylish/fashionable vibe. She has designed her personal ranges of desk ware, linens, kitchen equipment. There’s aprons and tea towels and T-shirts. Plus Joanna’s cookbooks.
However not solely does she embrace that farmhouse/industrial look, she additionally collects and sells real antiques. One can find her assortment of gigantic doorways, tables and furnishings, plus smaller equipment like pots and jars and books at Magnolia Market.
Notice: When you’ve got a husband in tow (or anybody who’s not fairly as enamoured with Chip and Joanna as you may be), there’s a cafe on web site to plonk them in, and meals vehicles and picnic tables beneath a excessive climate proof pergola. You’ll additionally discover a little bit baseball pitch, so ship your youngsters right here to wack a ball round when you purchase candle sticks 😀
Wander throughout the spotlessly inexperienced synthetic turf to outlets inside these little cottages promoting issues like stationery, garments and there’s a sports activities store promoting Chip’s favourite manufacturers.
It’s at this level I realised it’s so so industrial right here! These outlets should not crammed with Joanna’s designed merchandise, simply random issues they assume you would possibly like.
Look out the again and throughout the street you’ll see one other white constructing that matches all the pieces within the Market and it’s now ironmonger Jimmy Don’s studio.
Dine at Magnolia Desk
Situated a few miles away from the Magnolia Market location on the downtown Silos, is Magnolia Desk. A big restaurant with attractive ground tiles and decor and a scrumptious menu.
The restaurant opened in 2018 and is vastly fashionable turning over tables for good hearty breakfasts and lunches.
The restaurant was Chip’s ardour, in case you bear in mind seeing the present. He needed a breakfast restaurant, however it’s Joanna that has a cooking present on their Magnolia Community (which isn’t accessible on-line exterior North America – you’ll want a VPN to entry it).
She makes Southern fashion consolation meals, with some distinctive twists. Like biscuits with strawberry butter. I needed to strive a lot on the menu, however needed to rein it in!
I did begin with an enormous mug of filter espresso (nonetheless want a NZ flat white!), then we shared three meals between the 2 of us. Pics beneath.
It was Could after we visited and the air conditioning was tremendous chilly. I don’t know why they’ve it down this low, however individuals have been shivering. Together with me. It’s one thing talked about in a great deal of evaluations too.
Nonetheless, I went to the john at one level, to take extra pictures of all the pieces en route, and located the restaurant to be hotter down the again. Simply FYI!
I ordered Jo’s well-known French toast coated in cornflakes for a crunchy texture, topped with strawberries and cream and a jug of honey on the facet.
Being from New Zealand, we don’t actually get the entire hype round biscuits and gravy, however being a fan of Joanna’s cooking present and realizing how a lot she loves them we needed to order that too. I’m nonetheless on the fence. The “biscuit” is what we in NZ, Australia and the UK would name a scone (pronounced skon!). Too dry for my liking.
Husband needed to strive the farm breakfast which was eggs, sausage, toast and another issues I didn’t trouble photographing! The test is beneath. Transformed to NZD it was $100 with the tip, however properly price it for me. I’d positively return and work my manner by the menu.
I beloved Magnolia Desk. We had made a reserving on their web site, and I adopted it up with a telephone name. You’re unable to get on their web site exterior of the US. For worldwide guests, you would try to make a reserving through Open Desk. You continue to have to get your identify checked off on the door if you arrive, and possibly wait.
We received chatting to some beside us who come usually. They have been all in regards to the burgers and have been stunned we’d been capable of make a reserving as they often simply come as walk-ins and wait as much as half an hour on common.
There may be additionally a present store right here, however observe: it sells totally different objects to Magnolia Market. I purchased some candy metallic sizzling plate bench-top protectors within the form of a magnolia flower and tea towels, however couldn’t purchase extra the subsequent day once I went again to the Market close to our Fixer Higher cottage, so my very affected person husband allowed me to name in once more to Magnolia Desk on our manner out of Waco – through a cease in Mt Carmel, and the Department Davidians…
That submit is coming quickly.
Our Texas street journey then took us to San Antonio for 5 days.
Extra of my Texas posts
We stayed within the Fixer Higher Shotgun Home inside cooee of Magnolia Market
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