Magnolia House already a McGregor tourist magnet, weeks before opening - McGregor, TX
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WalksfarTX
N 31° 26.308 W 097° 24.418
14R E 651388 N 3479295
The Magnolia House in downtown McGregor is weeks away from opening, but retailers in this small town 15 miles from Waco are already reporting a flush of “Fixer Upper” fever.
Waymark Code: WMVDVP
Location: Texas, United States
Date Posted: 04/06/2017
Views: 0
Waco Trib
Waco celebrity renovators Chip Gaines and Joanna Gaines showed off their transformation of the Victorian home on the popular HGTV show in December and plan to open it as a rental “vacation stay” by early spring.
But in the meantime, fans from around the country have been checking it out and often stopping by McGregor shops and restaurants along the way.
“We’ve definitely seen an increase in business,” said JoLynn Brown, owner of Hidden Treasures antique shop on Main Street, showing a guest log of recent shoppers from Ohio, Illinois, North Dakota and Houston. “They’re buying, too.”
More than 3 million viewers watched the holiday “Fixer Upper” special in which the Gaineses renovated the home at 323 S. Madison Ave., the highest viewership for an episode so far of the show’s three seasons.
McGregor City Manager Kevin Evans lives within sight of the house and sees a steady stream of tourists snapping photos.