Our first stop in Texas was Waco. Dave didn’t realize he had picked a great stop for me – home of all things Magnolia. I bet many of you have watched HGTV’s “Fixer Upper” with Chip and Joanna Gaines. From that show, the couple capitalized on their success and ventured into retail and restaurant businesses, the Magnolia Network, a line of home décor and kitchen products on the Magnolia app and at Target, plus much more. In Waco, visitors can stroll through Magnolia Market, on the grounds of the silos originally used by the Brazos Valley Cotton Oil company.
The story of the why the Gaines’ bought the silos property is sweet. A flower shop had opened in the then abandoned building of the cotton oil company next to the silos. Chip used to buy Jo flowers there when they were dating. When it was for sale, he thought it would be great to buy it and Jo thought it would make a good office for their expanding business, only to find out the silos and the big barn was a part of the purchase. Being the entreprenuers they are, Chip & Jo bought the property in 2014 and in 2016, opened Magnolia Market, a retail destination for their fans to enjoy. If you like to shop for home goods, this is the place! You can also see all they offer on their Magnolia app and website.
One of the other Gaines’ public facing ventures Dave and I visited was Magnolia Table, a restaurant about 3 miles from the Magnolia Market complex. The restaurant was originally the Elite Café, opened in 1941. When it closed its doors in 2016, Chip and Joanna bought it and opened the Magnolia Table, open for breakfast and lunch in 2018. Since 2024, the “Table” is also open for dinner Thursday – Saturday nights. Reservations are highly recommended or you are going to wait a long time! The Table is known for their biscuits, which were mighty tasty.
While at Magnolia Market, Dave went into their Coffee Press store to purchase freshly ground coffee. And wouldn’t you know it? They had sweets too. I could not pass up the Lemon Blueberry roll – it was delicious! I really thought I would do better on this year’s trip and not eat so many sweets. So far, this is not panning out.
Waco has lots of other things to do when visiting besides all things Magnolia. Dave and I also toured the Dr. Pepper Museum, which is in Dr. Pepper’s original bottling plant. We did not know Dr. Pepper was invented in 1885 in Waco, just one year before Coke was invented, and 8 years before Pepsi was created. Pepsi and Dr. Pepper typically each share about 8.5% of the soda market, but in 2024, Dr. Pepper bypassed Pepsi with 8.7% of the market with Pepsi declining to 8.3%. Coke continues to hold about 19.2% of the soda market. Another fact I did not know – 7-up and Dr. Pepper merged in 1988 and is now owned by Keurig Dr. Pepper.
Waco also has a historic suspension bridge, completed in 1870. At the time, it was the longest single-span suspension bridge west of the Mississippi River. It was instrumental in the growth of Waco, allowing traffic and cattle to cross over the Brazos River. Waco stopped vehicle traffic over the bridge in 1971 and it now is a centerpiece for many community events.
There were many other points of interest in Waco, but we stopped there and returned to our air-conditioned RV (at a terrific lakefront campsite). But first we had to pick up Murphy. Where was Murphy you ask? Since it was going to be the mid-90’s and Dave and I assumed Murphy would not want to be dragged all over downtown Waco, we found a sitter for him through the Rover app. We dropped Murphy off at Chloe’s house at 10 a.m. and picked him up a little after 3 p.m. He had a blast! Chloe could not believe how well-behaved he was and he got along great with her two pups. She even took them all out for a pup cup. Unfortunately, she didn’t take any pictures of his great adventure. But he was sure pooped and slept when we got home.
While driving across Texas, our next overnight stop was in the middle of wide-open country, in the small town of Roby (pop. 600). When we arrived, we called the host as asked. The host noted he was out bailing hay and would see us in the morning. The next morning, as we were getting ready to leave, the host was nowhere to be found and we wanted to pay him. Dave called and he answered, sharing that he was out baling hay again, this time since 2 am. He shared he had been waiting all week for the humidity to get above 64%. His alert woke him up at 1:30 am, the humidity was 65%, so off he went. Farmers have such a tough life
While looking for a rest stop as we continued across Texas, Dave found a donut shop with a large parking area next door. Perfect for a stop. I guess my quest to eat less sweets is still not happening. Of course, I could say no, but, then I might miss out on the best ever donut!
This shop also sold a pastry that I had never heard of, a Klotche. Apparently, it is a “Texas thing.” Czech immigrants brought this food tradition to Texas and it has remained a staple, especially in central and northern Texas. Dave could not resist buying one as he used to eat them when working in Houston.
During our next two stops, we will visit three National Parks. …any ideas which ones? Stay tuned for the next blog to share the details. Till then…
Texas is a very big state Brenda, We need elevation, its HOT Dave, and when do I get to go to doggy daycare again Murphy.
I’m so jealous!! I want to shop at Magnolia with you!!
You would love it! It is so you in there. 🙂