WACO, TX — Terry Bluez, a Waco born and raised entrepreneur, has started a new local movement.
He created a shirt that has the message "Magnolia Ain't Waco" on the front.
"The idea behind the logo, it came from an article that I read talking about the expansion of the Silos and comparing it to Disney World. When they labeled it as 'Jojo Land' I thought, that's ridiculous," Bluez said.
However, he explains he's not anti-Magnolia.
"Its not anti, I just really want you to show, 'hey Waco is bigger than Magnolia' and if you have a story on what your Waco is. I want that shirt to be representative of you, tell your story as what Waco is to you," said Bluez.
Trends from the Waco Visitors Bureau showed a significant jump in attendance to visitor attractions starting in 2015, the year the Silos opened.
Carla Pendergraft, the Waco Visitors Center Marketing Director, said that most attractions do not attract zip codes, so they aren't sure of the percentages of locals and visitors. A data survey done by two Baylor students last summer said that 95 percent of the people visiting Waco's attractions are coming for Magnolia Market.
"Sometimes when you're a large entity or corporation and you move into a space, your intentions are probably really good, I think I've heard them say that their intention is to rebuild and beautify the city right and I can appropriate that, but, you must be aware of the effects that it has both positive and negative," said Bluez.
Bluez explained that the money earned from T-shirt sales will go towards creating nonprofit for minority children in Waco.
