Brooke Hill | Staff Writer
Chip and Joanna Gaines announced this Tuesday that season five will be the final season of their hit series “Fixer Upper.”
For the past few years, tourists have flocked to Waco, eager to take pictures at the Magnolia Silos and buy home goods that have Joanna Gaines’ magical touch.
Waco Mayor Kyle Deaver said that he doesn’t think Chip and Joanna are done with Waco yet.
“We’re going to continue to have residual benefits from the show running and re-runs for years to come,” Deaver said. “I think just the fact that the show shows Waco in such a positive light has been a really good thing. Of course the whole tourist industry that’s been driven up by the Magnolia Market I think will continue into the foreseeable future. I think they’ll have more things coming out and we’ll have more exciting stuff going on in Waco.”
The announcement comes on the heels of an announcement that Target will begin to carry a line of Magnolia goods and furniture. The Gaineses are also still working on restoring the Elite Cafe on the Waco traffic circle. They will call it Magnolia Table. Season five is set to air starting in November.
“We’re really hopeful that our tourism will continue unabated because the show is ending but Magnolia is just getting started,” said Carla Pendergraft, director of marketing for the Waco Convention Center. “The new line at Target is going to keep Joanna at the front of everyone’s mind. There’s just a lot going on. From the fan’s perspective, it’s like if the show is ending, we’re sad about that, and we’ll have to come to Waco to get our fix. The fans are fans of Chip and Jo. They love the show, the show is a great outlet, but they’re mainly fans of them as a couple, and thats why Magnolia has been so successful. I don’t even think it’s the merchandise, it’s just the design. From the moment you walk through the archway, you’re in an adultDisneyland. What you see, what you smell, what you experience has all been thought out really carefully and you can sense that when you walk in. It has a sense of balance and beauty.”
The Gaineses are thankful for the experience the show has given them, but they are also excited to take a break to focus on family.
“This has been an amazing adventure!” the Gaineses wrote in a post on their website. “We have poured our blood, sweat and tears into this show. We would be foolish to think we can go and go and fire on all cylinders and never stop to pause. Our family is healthy and our marriage has honestly never been stronger. This has nothing to do with a fraudulent skincare line or anything else you’ll inevitably read. This is just us recognizing that we need to catch our breath for a moment. Our plan is to take this time to shore up and strengthen the spots that are weak, rest the places that are tired and give lots of love and attention to both our family and our businesses.”
“Fixer Upper” started as a pilot in 2013, with the couple renovating a home in the Castle Heights area. The couple’s “Fixer Upper” chapter now includes renovations to 80 houses.
“On the heels of this morning’s news about our final season of Fixer Upper, we’d be remiss not to share the overwhelming sense of gratitude we feel for this city and this community,” the Gaineses said. “For more than two decades, we’ve been fortunate enough to call Waco home. And while our time on Fixer Upper is coming to an end, our time in Waco is not. This is such a special place, and we can’t wait to see how this next chapter of our life unfolds.”
HGTV wished the Gaines family the best in a post on its website titled “We Love Chip and Jo.”
“We understand their decision to spend more time with their family,” the post states. “Like all of their fans, we want only the best for them and they know they will always have a home at HGTV.”
The Gaineses reciprocated the love toward their network.
“We will forever be thankful for HGTV and this opportunity of a lifetime,” the Gaineses wrote. “Thank you for sharing life with us and for the continued support. Thank you for having our backs! Thank you for caring about these homes and these families and the things that we care so much about.”
