WACO, Texas - The final episode of HGTV’s hit show Fixer Upper aired Tuesday night, ending the series' five-season run, which boosted the network's media footprint, built Chip and Joanna Gaines' Magnolia brand into an empire and drove unprecedented tourism to Central Texas.
The Show and Business Empire
Fixer Upper premiered on May 13, 2013. The program followed Chip and Joanna, as they turned their clients' "fixer-uppers" into remodeled dream homes.
The show had nearly doubled its ratings by its second season, according to the Hollywood Reporter, which dubbed it a "full-blown phenomenon." As the most-watched series in HGTV history, the show averaged 3.2 million same-day viewers during Season 4.
Chip and Joanna have honed an image as a down-to-earth couple with a strong set of family values. In five seasons, the duo has redesigned more than 77 homes in Central Texas, where they have also grown Magnolia Market at the Silos into a Waco tourism destination. The couple recently added the Magnolia Table restaurant to their portfolio by purchasing and remodeling the historic Elite Cafe.
In an interview with Business Insider, the couple said the two qualities that keep them moving forward are they both love to work and they hate to lose.
The couple's Magnolia Realty business now helps families buy, sell and flip homes from Dallas to Austin and even as far east as Houston. Magnolia's success has led to decor and book sales, as well as spinoff shows.
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Impact in Waco
Nearly one million people visited Magnolia Market in 2016. In 2017, that number rose to more than 1.3 million visitors.
In March, the three-day "Silobration" drew 50,000 visitors. The Silos brought a total of 80,000 guests during the two weeks of spring break 2018.
As a result of the tourism boom, there are plans for new hotels and businesses in the city. Some tourists have even expressed interest in staying in the Central Texas area permanently.
In a previous interview, Susan Morton, tourism manager at the Waco Convention & Visitors Bureau, said the Magnolia brand had helped change tourists' perception of Waco.
“In the past, most of our visitors came from within Texas. It was already a pretty popular vacation spot for families living in the state,” Morton said. “But now, around half of our visitors come from out of state, which is bringing a lot of new eyes to the Waco that we love.”
Although the “Fixer-upper effect” has caused property values to rise, homes are still more affordable than they are in other parts of the nation.
Earlier this year, trip advisor ranked Waco as one of the best places to visit in the United States. Since the Magnolia Silos were introduced in 2015, they have become the second most-visited site in Texas --- just behind San Antonio’s Alamo Mission.