Waco, Reborn A home-makeover show based in this central Texas town has created a tourism boom.

WACO, Tex. - It's an unlikely tourist town. A flat, dusty stretch, Waco was until recently better known in Texas, halfway between Dallas and Austin, or the university town of Baylor University. Nationally, he was best known for his closeness to the 51-day confrontation between F.B.I. and Branch Davidians in 1993, which caused nearly 80 deaths in a fire.

All this has now changed, thanks to "Fix Upper", the HGTV renovation show created in 2013 and completed this year after five seasons. They followed Chip and Joanna Gaines, a couple of attractive self-service builders and designers, when they renovated Waco's buildings, turning old homes into welcoming homes with many ships on the walls. They filmed there for a reason: as they explained on their website, "unnecessary tension for our families and children" was out of the question. (The eldest son of the couple, Drake, was 9 years old when the first season was aired and in June of this year, a fifth child, Crew was born).

A billboard on I-35, just north of Waco, shows Chip and Joanna Gaines welcoming the drivers in their city.

And as the couple's popularity increased, so did their investment in Waco.

In 2015, they opened Magnolia Market, a home supply store that sells Ms. Gaines' serial collections for bohemian cottage designs, and quickly established a bakery, gardening store, and park. of grass built near two old silos. which had been built. in 1950 by the oil company of the Brazos Valley. They also opened a nearby restaurant, the Magnolia Table, in the former Elite café, a long-time favorite, which closed in 2016 after several owners and renovations. When the Gaines took power, they installed subway plates along the walls, exposed wooden beams on the roof and affixed a marquee shaped panel constantly changing on the front. Naturally, the renovation was presented to his show.

Nobody complains. The number of tourists to Waco has tripled in the four years since the first issue of "Fixer Upper", with 1.7 million visitors alone in the first seven months of 2018, and other local businesses have flourished with the influx. Carla Pendergraft, marketing director of Waco's convention office and visitors, said the appeal of the "Fixer Upper" brand had had a profound impact on the city.

Dave Philips organizes tours around Waco that stop at the houses that appear in "Fixer Upper" and attractions related to Gaines.

Waco Tours was born in 2016, partly because of the boom in tourism.

"When they opened their elevators in the city center in 2013, we watched the number of spectators and the number of spectators soared," he said, noting that many people were communicating with Mr. and Ms. Gaines and their brand because they represented "something special" for them. Americans: maybe security and comfort inside the house.

"I've heard many comments from visitors and that's what they say," continued Pendergraft. "It's not just the decoration of the house, it's not just the way Joanna Gaines has transformed homes, it's more than that." I think it's a Scandinavian concept called hygge and it's a Danish concept that means creating a warm environment and enjoying a good life. "

Boomtown, USA

David Ridley is one of the beneficiaries of this new wave. His own house appeared in "Fixer Upper" and now runs a small team called Waco Tours. His company offers guided tours of downtown Waco and the Baylor University campus, with stops in eight houses renovated by the Gaines during the five seasons of "Fixer Upper".

For two years, he has brought 37,000 people to his units, each paying $ 79 per person. Ridley said that 95% of these people are attracted to Waco because of the Gaines, so the tour stops at places like Common Grounds and Heritage Creamery for coffee and ice cream because "they are on the program".

A woman is photographed in front of Clint Harp's house, a carpenter who often worked with Chip and Joanna Gaines.

The only place where Waco Tours does not go is the Branch Davidian complex, located about 25 minutes from the city. Mr. Ridley said that when Waco Tours began to operate, many people asked him about the deadly seat, but he now hears fewer and fewer questions about it.

The saga of the Davidians of the branch: how the office of alcohol, tobacco and firearms attacked the religious community after being suspected of storing illegal weapons in the complex; how a gun battle broke out, provoking the FB.I. start a seat; and the way everything turned into tear gas and flames, killing 76 people, gave Waco a somewhat sinister reputation. (A 2011 song by Willie Nelson and Billy Joe Shaver, entitled "Wacko From Waco," did not help).

But these days, along the road that leads to the city, Mr. and Mrs. Gaines smile on a panel that seduces visitors with its modern and family charm. There are no sects here!

"It's something unique that Waco now has its own name instead of the Davidians branch," Ridley said. "Obviously, we know that the number one reason is that Chip and Jo have changed the name of their city."

A young man relaxes on artificial turf at Silos, an open-air market created by Chip and Joanna Gaines.

Susan Mortan, from Waco Visitor Information Center, chats with visitors as she watches a cardboard cutout by Chip and Joanna Gaines.

The road was not without controversy. In late 2016, Buzzfeed published an article about Jimmy Seibert, pastor of the community church of Antioquia in Waco, attended by the Gaines. Shortly after the Supreme Court ruled in favor of same-sex marriage, Seibert told his congregation that "homosexuality is a sin" and that 90% of people have "a homosexual lifestyle that respects each rule. have been abused in one way or another ". The sermon also included a warning to "business leaders" to stand firm against homosexuality and be "willing to endure even the loss of an agreement, two or ten or even the loss of their business. ".

The famous couple was inundated with calls to denounce Mr. Seibert. In two days, HGTV said: "We do not discriminate against the LGBT community in any of our programs." But the Gaines were silent until several months later, when Chip wrote an article on her blog: "Joanna and I have personal convictions ... One of them is this: we care about you for the mere fact that you are a person, our neighbor on the planet Earth, the color of your skin, your money in the bank, your political affiliation, your sexual orientation, your gender, your nationality or your religion does not depend on your color . "

Time for a road trip

Although I grew up and live in Dallas, I only visited Waco a few years ago. I was curious about his new reputation and the dubious assertion made by Chip in his book that the city was a destination for people with terminal illnesses who wanted to take one last trip. What I found was people who love this city, before it's an international tourist destination, and now more than ever. Yes, they say that downtown is a little more populated with people from outside the city, but the sun still shines in Waco and there is no better place.

During a recent visit, I had dinner at the renovated restaurant of Magnolia Table, Chip and Joanna. It was a Saturday and a match day at Baylor University and the wait was an hour and a half. The atmosphere was the Gainesian world of Disney. There were tourists lined up with Magnolia brand t-shirts, talking to enthusiastic Magnolia employees selling T-shirts, hats, mugs and other Magnolia souvenirs. Customers knew there was a chance to see Chip or Joanna, but the opportunity was there and it was exciting.

Welcome to Waco!

Jimmy Don Holmes, who specializes in metal work and has often appeared in "Fixer Upper", poses for selfies with a tourist.

The anti-gay comments of the pastor of Antioch Community Church, in which the Gaines family participated, caused a small scandal for "Fix Upper" and HGTV.

While waiting to sit down, I ate a blueberry muffin and talked to employees. A hostess said that the restaurant usually received visitors from New Zealand and Australia and that the longest wait for the restaurant was three hours, which is rightly considered extraordinary for any city or city. tourist city, regardless of the reputation of its owners and its quality. Bacon and eggs. (Because he was alone, I escaped after 25 minutes).

A boss, Tessa Calori, a 18-year-old "Fixer Upper" fan, said she was visiting her mother in Denver, Colorado, and had been begging to visit Waco for two years. His mother, Lynette, added that she had also become a fan of the show after her daughter introduced her to her and she was attracted to the Gaines work ethic.

"They look like genuine, hardworking people," he said.

The family's flight to Waco was seriously delayed, totaling travel time to 24 hours. But mother and daughter said that the wait was worth it.

Tessa Calori said she had never heard of Waco's deadly site. Ms. Calori said she knew the city's old reputation. But, she said, "I had no interest in visiting then."

The Gaineses Restaurant, Magnolia Table, formerly the Elite Cafe.