"Fixer Upper" hosts, producers, and business owners Chip and Joanna Gaines have become very influential figures. The couple have also played a big part in bringing their hometown into a positive light.
Ever since the couple started their home improvement reality show "Fixer Upper," which gives viewers a look into their hometown of Waco, Texas, tourism in the city has improved according to a report by Daily Mail. In 2016, the home values in the town have also gone up to 19 percent.
Due to the positive response and attention the show, it has tremendously helped in shaking off memories of the brutal FBI massacre in the city, which dates back to the 90s. The city was once associated with the Branch Davidian cult, where 76 members died in the fire, and a siege by the FBI.
The Gaines' went on a big renovation spree in downtown Waco, and even turned a few abandoned grain silos into a big commercial compound. It now has a bakery, a garden and garden supply store, home goods and a food truck park. With the city getting a little makeover, more people are coming to visit Waco. There had been 1.9 million tourists who had visited last year.
The couple are not just admired for the way they improve houses and establishments, they are also admired for being one of the few genuine personalities on reality television. In fact, even their friends and former clients would agree. Their love and marriage is what a lot of couples aspire to have. A close friend of the couple, Jill Barrett, talked about the Gaines family in an interview with Fox News. She said that they are the real deal and even mentioned a moment about the couple's early days of marriage.
"When they first got married, they started flipping these little houses and that's sort of how they got into this whole business. Joanna had this dream of opening this little store, so Chip said, "I want you to follow this dream" and she did and they opened a little store called Magnolia," stated Barrett.
