By Kalyn Story | Staff Writer
“Fixer Upper” took Waco by storm when it aired on HGTV in 2013. On July 27, Baylor alumni Chip and Joanna Gaines expanded their reach by adding Magnolia Bakery to the Magnolia Silos.
The Silos opened in October 2015 and quickly became a must-see in Waco for “Fixer Upper” fans from all over the country. The City of Waco reported that the Silos attracts around 25,000-35,000 visitors each week.
New Braunfels sophomore Lindsey Stange stopped by the Silos while passing through Waco just two days after the bakery opened.
“I had to stop by to see the bakery,” Stange said. “The Silos are so pretty; I wish I could spend all day there.”
Stange said that watching “Fixer Upper” has become a family activity that makes her family proud to be a Baylor family.
“It’s so cool to go back and watch the episodes where they first found the silos and wanted to develop them, and now they’re finished and I can go there. It’s just another thing I love about Waco,” Stange said.
While she was there, Stange bought chocolate and strawberry cupcakes and a gift for her sister.
“I love the Silos because everything is quality,” Stange said. “The cupcakes were amazing and everything in the store is beautiful.”
Stange said she loves the rustic style the Gaineses promote, partly because she feels she can recreate it.
“Joanna’s style inspires me,” Stange said. “The show is addicting. I love Chip and Joanna’s personalities, and they’re so cute together. They don’t seem like celebrities, they seem so real. They’ve done so much for Baylor and the community, I’m so proud that they’re Baylor alums.”
According to HGTV’s website, Fixer Upper season four is currently filming and set to air soon.
St. Louis sophomore Angelina Steck went to the Silos with a friend a few days after moving back to Waco.
“Spending time at the silos is one of my favorite things to do in Waco,” Steck said. “I couldn’t wait to go once I got back.”
Steck said she appreciates the positive impact the Gaineses have made on Waco. She’s glad they’re expanding their reach within Waco and is excited to see what they’re going to do next.
“I’m proud to say I go to school in Waco and one of the first things people mention when I say I go to Baylor is “Fixer Upper,” so I love to tell them about the Silos and everything the Gaineses are doing,” Steck said.
The Magnolia Instagram account announced that the Magnolia House vacation home will begin taking reservations for 2017 on Thursday, August 18.
The Magnolia House is located in downtown McGregor, about 20 miles southwest of Waco. Reservations for 2016 sold out almost immediately when they were made available last February at $695 a night. Guests must stay at least two nights and reservations must be made on the Magnolia website.
Chip and Joanna Gaines announced in a press release in July that they are partnering with Meredith Corporations to launch a lifestyle magazine this October.
“The magazine will help inspire readers to create their best homes, families, and lives, while making every moment count,” Joanna Gaines said in the press release. “It will encourage readers to make the most of what they have and discover the inherent beauty all around them.”
In May Magnolia spokesperson Brock Murphy told the Waco Tribune Herald that the Gaineses bought the Elite Cafe. It is currently unknown what they will do with the former cafe but it will reportedly become a new attraction sometime in 2017.
