A Day At The Silos
If you want to experience a place where the proprietors have thought of everything, plan to spend a day at The Silos in Waco Texas. I’m not kidding Chip and Joanna Gains have literally thought of everything!
On Wednesday of our Texas adventure we spent the day in Waco at Magnolia. The night before our visit we learned that a crew from Good Morning America was scheduled to be at the Magnolia campus filming a segment to launch the new Magnolia Network. So instead of arriving at 9:00 am, the typical start of the Magnolia day we arrived at 6:00 am with hopes of landing a spot on the set. Our extra early wake up call was not in vain and we made it on GMA! If you didn’t catch us live I believe you can find the segment on Hulu. It was such an exciting and interesting 2 1/2 hours we didn’t even mind the cold! (Well, most of us didn’t.)
After a quick bite to eat and a chance to warm up we began exploring the pristine grounds and shops that make up Magnolia. I haven’t seen this type of perfection and attention to detail since my visit to a certain location in Florida where grown men walk around with mouse ears on their heads humming It’s a Small World After All. I am not kidding! There wasn’t a discarded cigarette butt, a gum wrapper, not even an abandoned Magnolia Press coffee cup laying about. This campus is stunning!
Each and every shop is manned by staff members that genuinely seem to enjoy their job and understand that customer service is key. And let me tell you there is a shop for everything. Want to purchase something for that special man? No problem, No. 16 (named after Chip’s jersey number in baseball) has an outstanding collection of items from sports to the BBQ, intoxicating cologne and retro items as well as books and clothing. Have a deep thinker or reader in your life? Chapter One is the stop for you. Beautifully leather bound journals and notebooks will have you believing your are the next Hemingway for sure! Step into this shop and you may just want to curl up in a leather club chair by fire and compose the next great American novel. If writing isn’t your jam not to worry, you can purchase one of the many books written by the Gain’s power duo.
Magnolia Market offers an outstanding collection of home décor, Magnolia themed clothing (including the amazingly soft lounge wear that I’m snuggled up in as I type this!), seasonal items and gifts. Seriously, if you think that walking into Target is like walking into the land that has no time then plan to spend a considerable amount of your day here. Each and every item has been curated by Jo and will compliment the farm house aesthetic.
If you really want to achieve that farmhouse look take a step into Magnolia Home. This is where you will find pieces from your sofa to the perfectly aged leather club chair. The exposed brick, accents and floor rugs are the quintessential setting for all of the amazing pieces waiting to become part of your home décor. If the farmhouse look doesn’t fit into your décor not to worry, there are pieces that will blend seamlessly in any setting.
Magnolia Seed and Supply is an adorable shop in the back corner of the campus surrounded by gardens of raised beds and a charming planting shed. While I do not have a green thumb and I typically purchase my produce from the farmers market, a stop in this shop almost made me a convert.
While exploring all of the shops you may find yourself in need of a break and nutrition. Not to worry, Magnolia offers a great selection of food and drink options to tempt you. Silos Baking Co. for cookies and cupcakes, Magnolia Press for coffee and lattes (think of this as the Gain’s version of Starbucks) and a vast selection of food trucks are available for your pleasure. Magnolia Table, the restaurant brainchild of Joanna Gains is located off the Magnolia Silos campus in Waco. It is open for breakfast and lunch. We enjoyed a late lunch and definitely came away with some fresh ideas for our own menu!
There are endless opportunities for photos, relaxing and people watching as well as SHOPPING at the Magnolia Silos. This facility is exquisite. While I admire and appreciate work and dedication that has gone into creating such a pristine location I was anxious to check out the original shop on Bosque. The Bosque Street location is where it all began and where you will find the discounted last season items that were once on the shelves of the shops at the Silos. I think the first location is actually smaller than our little shop! This definitely gives me hope!!
We spent about 5 hours of our Texas adventure strolling about the Silos and its variety of stores. It was a fabulous day and one I will remember for a very long time! If you are planning a trip to Texas I highly recommend fitting a day at the Silos into your schedule!
