A few weeks ago, I was in Texas speaking at the Mother Earth News Fair in Belton, Texas. When I finally looked at the map, I realized that Waco was less than an hour away. I was going to have to make a trip to Chip and Joanna Gaine’s Magnolia Market silos. As a big fan of Fixer Upper, I too was curious to see what the silos were all about. I actually caught the episode where Joanna first shared her silo dreams with Chip, and it was surreal to be so close to their latest endeavor.

I woke up early and decide to arrive when they opened. It was a quick trip into Waco and the silos are just mere minutes from the highway. It was crowded already by 9 am. I could see people lining up at the gates.

I took advantage of the free parking behind the silos across the railroad tracks. I walked about a block to the entrance where we waited. I could see inside that there were barriers and a spot where the line must snake around as folks wait to get into the shop. Seeing this, I decided that the store was going to be my first stop. I wanted to get inside the shop and purchase at least a couple mementos for my family.

The first thing I did was get a lay of the land in the store. It was busy and crowded but there were plenty of helpful staff to answer any questions that you might have. Down the steps in the back of the store is a huge clearance section. There were tons of fun and gorgeous items that had nice discounts. I would advise all shoppers to start in the back section and work you way to the front of the store. If you are like me, you can’t resist a sale!

In the front of the store, you will find beautiful metal sheets with sayings carved into them, like Joanna has custom made on their show. There is a gardening section with all things for growing indoors and out. There is a section for the kitchen, kid’s rooms, a collection of Joanna’s favorite jewelry, perfume and leather handbags. There is even a small corner dedicated to all manly things chosen by Chip. Of course, you can’t go wrong with a t-shirt. In fact, there are quite a few to choose from including one that says #shiplap. There are some items that have been handmade by local artisans but much of it has been mass produced. It is still pretty enough, just be sure to bring a big suitcase for your new found treasures.

The entire place is family friendly. Outside the silos there is a huge big green square of astroturf. Here families are encourages to toss balls around, play corn hole and even try hula hooping.

While there enjoy the food trucks that line the back fence. I stopped and had a cup of amazing coffee from Chip’s favorite coffeehouse, Common Grounds, from Waco. It had caramel crunch in it!  So yummy.

Visit the gardens at the Magnolia Market silos. Around the corner tucked behind the silos, are the sweetest raised bed vegetable gardens. During my visit in February the gardens were abundant with cold weather crops that were a nice scene for this Northeastern girl. Swiss chard, peas and cabbages happily grew content in the shadows of the silos. A sweet garden shed was out back, but closed when I was there.

There was also a bakery under construction while I was there. I can’t wait to return and get a sweet treat to top off my next visit! If you are planning a trip to the Magnolia Market silos, give yourself a couple of hours at a minimum to take in everything there is to see. As I left, I was thrilled to have made the trip to this very amazing place. I left inspired by Chip and Joanna. It makes me believe in my dreams even more, especially after seeing how these rusty old silos in a vacant lot were turned into a very magical destination.