By India McCarty
Erin and Ben Napier usually build houses in their hit show HOME TOWN, but did you know they’ve also helped build a relationship?
“Here’s a sweet story for you,” Erin wrote in an Instagram story. “Remember Brad, our drummer bachelor friend? Emily saw his episode and commented on my post about his nice smile. He saw it. He’s not a bachelor anymore.”
Brad Smith, a childhood friend of Erin’s, appeared in a 2024 episode of HOME TOWN, enlisting the Napiers to refresh his house after a divorce. He and Emily began dating that same year, and he popped the question in 2025. The couple wed in May of this year.
The Napiers are currently embarking on another unique renovation project — HOME TOWN: INN THIS TOGETHER, “a series that will follow the transformation of a 25,000-square-foot historic building into a boutique hotel [the Heirloom Hotel] right here in the heart of Laurel, Mississippi,” per the Laurel Mercantile website.
Related: HGTV’s Erin and Ben Napier Ask for Prayer After Devastating Fire: ‘God Has a Plan’
“INN THIS TOGETHER isn’t just about building a hotel,” the website continued. “It’s about carrying forward the story of Laurel. Of neighbors coming together, of old spaces finding new purpose, and of small-town charm reaching a national audience.”
Erin posted on Instagram, “NEW SHOW ALERT! NN THIS TOGETHER: wherein our best friends are crazy enough to buy a long vacant cornerstone building in downtown Laurel and convert it into a boutique hotel, @theheirloom.us with @scotsmanusa US-made-only kitchen store on the first floor.”
However, the production hasn’t been without its challenges. Last month, the Heirloom Hotel sustained serious damage after a fire broke out on the top floor. Thankfully, no one was inside at the time.
“Today feels like a funeral,” Erin wrote on Instagram of the fire’s devastating aftermath. “But I know these people. They won’t give up here. I don’t know what will happen next or if you’ll ever get to see this @hgtv show now. I don’t know much of anything.”
She continued, “Pray for my friends and family, please. It is hard to explain how this reverberates through our town and its progress in many ways. But I know God has a plan for this setback. He always knows the way, even when we don’t.”
The owners of the Heirloom have already shared their intention to repair the hotel, posting on Instagram, “Round two. It’s never easy to start over, maybe even harder the second time, but we believe this town and these people are worth every ounce of our effort.”
Whether it’s a new relationship or a hotel in town that needs a helping hand, the Napiers are always hard at work creating something new!
Read Next: Erin Napier Gets Candid About What Actually Makes Her Marriage Work
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