Nearly three weeks after HGTV aired the finale of “Home Town: Inn This Together,” with the joyful completion of the restored Heirloom Hotel in Laurel, Mississippi, and the devastating final moments in which an electrical fire ripped through the property, Ben and Erin Napier’s best friends sound increasingly hopeful that they’ll be able to bring their passion project back to life.
In an interview with HGTV.com published on June 18, 2026, Jim and Mallorie Rasberry and Josh Nowell — the trio of friends who led the transformation of an old department store into a charming boutique hotel — opened up about their heartbreak and hopes, including the possibility of filming a second season of the “Home Town” spinoff and a “secret” plan to keep the Heirloom shining bright in Laurel.
Heirloom Hotel is Ready to Be Restored (Again) But Team is ‘Back to Where We Started’
Unfortunately, there was no mention in the latest interview of any progress with the hotel’s insurance company, despite public pressure on Liberty Mutual to approve the claim nearly a year after the fire broke out in August 2025. But with a new roof in place, the group of friends is feeling optimistic that the hotel will not be a total loss.
“We have not started construction yet on the inside to bring it back, but the building is safe, and we can properly evaluate what’s next,” Josh told HGTV, but admitted they know it will be another massive undertaking.
Other than the welcome sign they were able to save, Jim noted, “Every single thing in that building has been removed, and nothing was salvageable. We’re back to where we started, completely back to where we started, except we had to build a roof — that was a new part of the project.”
“It’s heartbreaking,” he acknowledged, “but we are not where we were that day. We have a roof. It’s gutted. It’s ready to build back.”
Mallorie, who is Erin’s best friend and has made periodic appearances on “Home Town” over the years, said the toughest part has been “this limbo of not knowing, like from a financial standpoint, if we can build back. That’s been the hardest part to come back from. Right afterward, every hour was a different emotion.”
The mom of two continued, “But right now, overall, we’re positive, we’re excited. You know, we have many things to be thankful for. No one was hurt. The building was saved. There were many things that went our way that day that were hard to see immediately.”
The trio, along with the Napiers and Josh’s wife Emily, are finding hope in every small bit of good news they get, starting with the fact that the Heirloom sign is miraculously still standing.
“It’s been through a lot,” Josh told HGTV. “We’ve got to do some touch-up paint and make some repairs. The control systems are gone, but the LED channel still works.”
He then said, “I have a little secret — some inside news just for you. We tested it, and we still have power. Hopefully, we’re going to do a little celebration soon and make it shine over our city again.”
Heirloom Hotel’s Design Will Likely Change When It Is Rebuilt
The Heirloom Hotel had begun accepting reservations when the fire broke out, with plans to open in late 2025. With the financials still up in the air, Josh acknowledged that it could be years before the space finally opens as originally intended. But if and when it does, the hotel likely won’t look the same as it did the first time around.
“For me, I don’t want to build it back the exact same way,” he told HGTV. “I think emotionally, it’s very difficult to do that. There’s not anything exciting or motivating about that. In some ways, I’m inspired by modifying the space somewhat, not completely.”
Mallorie agreed, “I’m really excited about what that building looks like next. When we were putting the roof back on, we were racing against time because it was open to the elements, yet I kind of teased Josh that we should just go ahead and do a complete steel structure so we could add that rooftop bar that everyone wants.”
Jim said they’re finding inspiration even in the worst aspects of the fire, telling HGTV, “Josh talked about how the basement was completely underwater, and that was a little bit of an inspiration for me. I look forward to having a pool outside after the rebuild. I think a pool with cabanas would be a nice addition that we need to be thinking about.”
Will HGTV Film the Progress of What Happens Next at the Heirloom Hotel?
Back when the fire broke out, Erin had told fans she didn’t know if the “Inn This Together” spinoff would ever air, but when the four-episode series did run in May, it clearly struck a chord with viewers.
Mallorie echoed Erin’s doubts in the interview with HGTV, admitting, “Honestly … we were like, ‘Are they even going to air this show? Should they air it?’ Because you have all of this effort, time and love go into this project, and it’s gone just like that … How do you make sense of it all?”
The Rasberrys and Nowell have been non-committal in recent weeks about filming their progress on the Heirloom Hotel’s next life. But while talking to HGTV, Mallorie said, “This story was so beautiful. The story of why we were doing it is still there. And if we get to tell that story again, I think it’s even more powerful the second time.”
She continued, “Personally speaking, I don’t want the end of our story to be that last minute of the fourth episode. I don’t want that to be my legacy. I want to see what’s next. And I want the public to be able to see that, too, because that’s the story of Laurel. I don’t know what’s next, but we’re going to keep pushing forward. And so, I think the story is even more powerful now.”
Until then, the first season of “Home Town: Inn This Together” can be streamed on Discovery+ and HBO Max.
