HGTV show featuring Ben and Erin Napier renovating historic homes in tiny Laurel, Mississippi (pop. 18K), running 2016-2023+ and sparking small-town revitalization tourism and economic boom.
The Anti-Fixer Upper
“Home Town” premiered March 2016 as HGTV’s answer to “Fixer Upper’s” Waco phenomenon. But where Chip and Joanna Gaines created modern farmhouse empires, Ben (woodworker) and Erin (graphic designer/artist) Napier championed historic preservation, local craftsmen, and slow living in America’s smallest HGTV town.
The show renovated 1900s-1940s homes in Laurel’s historic districts, preserving original hardwood, restoring facades, and incorporating Mississippi craftspeople. Erin’s hand-drawn renderings and Ben’s custom millwork became signatures. The vibe: cozy, colorful, historically respectful, anti-shiplap.
Laurel’s Revitalization
Pre-show, Laurel was a struggling logging/railroad town. Post-”Home Town,” tourism exploded: Erin’s Laurel Mercantile Co. store, Ben’s Scotsman Co. workshop, downtown brewery/restaurants, house tours. Property values tripled. Young families moved to Laurel specifically because of the show. By 2020, Laurel became a case study in media-driven small-town revival.
The show spawned “Home Town Takeover” (2021) renovating entire towns and cemented the Napiers as HGTV’s wholesome Southern alternative to Chip/Joanna’s Texas empire.
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