Capstone Project
Sebring's HGTV Hometown Takeover
By: Alastair Ibrahim II
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Introduction
According to Architectural Digest, Home and Garden Television first aired on Dec. 30, 1994 with the channels first ever show being "Room by Room" which was hosted by Matt Fox and Shari Hiller. Since its beginning, HGTV (Home and Garden Television) has awed viewers by transforming old and outdated houses, buildings and even towns into modern masterpieces. Shows such as "Flip or Flop", "Fixer Upper", "Property Brothers" and "House Hunters" have kept audiences on the edge of their seats awaiting the big reveal for many years. Although the shows on HGTV can be entertaining, how much good are the renovations done by HGTV really doing?
A Long List of Issues
Over the years HGTV has faced multiple issues. With multiple lawsuits, staging allegations and misconduct allegations; HGTV has had it's fair share of ups and downs.
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According to CBC, in 2018, a Vancouver couple sued the production company behind HGTV’s show "Love it or List it" after claiming that the renovations done to their home were produced by unqualified people. The lawsuit stated that the couple deposited $140,000 with the production company Big Coat Productions. The couple alleged that the production company acted as the general contractor and hired unqualified subcontractors for the renovations. The couple also claimed that the production company misused the funds that they were provided for the renovations.
According to People Magazine writer Benjamin VanHoose , in 2019, The HGTV show "Windy City Rehab" was sued by a Chicago couple who claimed that the $1.36 million house that they purchased from the hosts of the show was riddled with defects. Some of these alleged defects included a crooked front door, poorly installed windows, an upper-floor shower with a leak, issues with roof and floor of the garage and multiple other leaks throughout the house. The couple claimed that they were not aware of these issues until after the filming was completed. Soon after this lawsuit occurred, Donavan Eckhardt left the show after receiving a second lawsuit. Eckhardt then sued Discovery Inc. for defamation and emotional stress.
According to KTLA5 writers Joshua Peguero and Linsey Lewis, in 2021, HGTV's hit show "Property Brothers" production company was sued by a Las Vegas couple who did not think that the renovations done to their home were completed correctly. The couple believed that the work being completed would be done properly, however, after the big reveal, there were many issues with the renovations. None of the issues brought up by the couple were addressed in the show.
According to Decider writer Liz Kocan, HGTV stars of the show "The Flip Off", Tarek El Moussa and Christina Hall, recently endorsed a scam in which Zurixx LLC., a Utah-based company, sold real estate seminars to customers interested in learning how to flip houses. The allegation is that the stars of the show would lure customers into watching a free seminar where they would be convinced to purchase additional content costing thousands of dollars. Although the HGTV stars endorsed the seminars, they never actually attended them which caused an uproar from the companies customers. The case was brought to the attention of the Federal Trade Commission who ordered the company to pay $12 million in damages to each of the victims. 25,563 customers were awarded compensation from Zurixx LLC.
According to House Beautiful writer Kelly Allen, HGTV’s hit show "House Hunters" has been under fire for staging each episode. According to people who have been on the show, the house in which the couple picked at the end has already been purchased prior to the filming of the show. The other houses toured throughout the show are just homes that HGTV chooses to tour.
Are the Allegations True?
There is no way of knowing if many of the allegations that have been made against HGTV shows have any truth to them however, we can think about how quickly the show tends to do renovations along with the costs that the renovations that they make would be. Is it possible that some of the work that is being done by HGTV only holds the interest of the show and its aesthetics?
Meet Sebring, Fla.
Nestled in the center of the state of Florida lies Sebring Fla. Founded in 1912 by George E. Sebring, the city has remained a small, rural area since its beginning. Today Sebring has a population of around 12,000 (according to world population review). The city is known for the annual racing event that it holds at the Sebring International Raceway. Race fans from all over the world come to watch the Twelve Hours of Sebring race. Sebring, Fla. is also rich in agriculture and is where many farmers and ranchers raise their crops and cattle.
Sebring on TV!
The city of Sebring was selected to be featured on the HGTV show "Hometown Takeover" in February of 2025. The shows main stars Ben and Erin Napier decided to focus on the downtown area of Sebring for the renovations that took place throughout the show. The downtown area of Sebring is built around a circle which is something that the Napier couple fell in love with according to their word on the show. Throughout the duration of the project, many businesses and homes were renovated.
Some of the places renovated throughout the show included:
Sebring Soda and Ice Cream Works: A small soda shop that opened in 2015. The soda shop was a popular spot to go for residents throughout its first few years, but business slowed down in recent years. HGTV renovated the shop and made it feel more inviting and modern.
The Salvation Army Building: A building built in 1914. The building originally stood as a church, however, over the years it became abandoned due to the state it was in. HGTV turned the building into Sophie’s Café, a local Cuban restaurant, could open their second location.
The Circle Theatre: A theatre that first opened in 1923. Over the years the theatre has been used for various things, however, over the years it became quite run-down. HGTV renovated the building so that it can now be used as a venue for large weddings/parties.
Public spaces and murals: HGTV also created new public spaces in the hometown area. These spaces include new seating, custom built benches, games, and landscaping. New murals were also painted on some of the walls of local businesses.
Homes of Sebring residents: HGTV also renovated the homes of a few local leaders who make an impact on the community every day.
What Impact have the Renovations done by HGTV had on Sebring, Fla.?
There were many major renovations done by HGTV throughout the show. The renovations gave the downtown area of Sebring a major makeover. Although downtown Sebring has had a facelift, how has
HGTV's "Hometown Takeover" impacted the city of Sebring as a whole? What impact has the work done on the homes, buildings, and public areas made on the residents and business owners of Sebring, Fla.? What did HGTV's "Hometown Takeover" really do for Sebring?
The Good
Sebring Soda & Ice Cream Works: Season 3, Episode 1 of HGTV's "Hometown Takeover" featured Sebring Soda & Ice Cream Works. The shop opened in 2015 and gives residents of Sebring a family-friendly place to unwind and have fun. HGTV did multiple renovations to Sebring Soda & Ice Cream Works including painting both the inside and outside the building, giving the shop a new sign and window decal, and replacing the furniture to give the place a modern and exciting look.
In this interview with Sebring Soda and Ice Cream Works and Sophie's Cafe owner Eduardo Giraud, Giraud explains the positive effects that HGTV's "Hometown Takeover" has had on his businesses and the impacts that it has made on Sebring as a whole.
Sophie's Cafe: Season 3, Episodes 2 and 3 of HGTV's "Hometown Takeover" were based around Sophie's Cafe. Sophie's Cafe is a restaurant that serves Cuban cuisine in Sebring, Fla. Sophie's Cafe had one location in Sebring prior to the show however, HGTV helped the restaurant renovate the Salvation Army building downtown and turn it into a second location for Sophie's Cafe. According to the show, The Salvation Army building was built in 1914 and the everyone involved wanted to keep the buildings original purpose alive which is why the new Sophie's Cafe also has "The Salvation Army" written across it. The new location allows the restaurant to seat more guests and gives Sophie's Cafe a presence in downtown Sebring.
In this interview with Sophie's Cafe and Sebring Soda and Ice Cream Works owner Yunii Del Cueto, Cueto gives insight to the impact that HGTV's "Hometown Takeover" has made on her life and her business.
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Chauncey Allen's Home: Season 3, Episode 3 of HGTV's "Hometown Takeover" featured Chauncey Allen. Allen works as the principals assistant at Fred Wild Elementary in Sebring, Fla. Allen helps single parents navigate through the ups and downs that come with raising children. She is known as one of Sebring's biggest champions. Allen has lived in Sebring her entire life and owns a home near the downtown Sebring. In the episode, Ben and Erin Napier surprised Allen at work and told her that they were going to renovate her home.
In this Interview with Chauncey Allen, Allen explains the impacts that HGTV's "Hometown Takeover" made on her life and the city of Sebring.
The Circle Theater: Season 3, Episode 4 of HGTV's "Hometown Takeover" featured the Circle Theater. The Circle Theater was established in 1923 and had multiple uses throughout its time. According to the website of the Circle Theater, in its early days, the theater played silent movies for the residents of Sebring. The building then became one of the main places for city leaders to meet and talk about the work that needed to be done around Sebring. Unfortunately, the theater became seldomly used and shut its doors. The theater reopened in 2011, however there were little to no events held there. HGTV renovated the Circle Theater and it is now home to the Sebring Chamber of Commerce. Today, the theater is able to be rented out and used as a venue for events and meetings.
In this Interview with Sebring Chamber of Commerce affiliates Pauline Auyang and Paige Hovan, Auyang and Hovan explain the impact that HGTV's "Hometown Takeover" has left on Sebring.
The Bad
In this section, we will hear from long time residents of Sebring as they discuss the impact that HGTV's "Hometown Takeover" has had on them as members of the community.
Gary Brown: Brown has been a resident of Sebring, Fla. for over 15 years. He is on the zoning board for the city of Sebring and is involved with the community. Brown feels that the renovations done in downtown Sebring by HGTV's "Hometown Takeover" were not completely necessary however, he is not opposed to them either. Brown does not feel that the renovations have affected him at all as a resident of Sebring, Fla.
In this interview with Gary Brown, Brown speaks on the impact that HGTV's "Hometown Takeover" has made on his life as a resident of Sebring.
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Candace Payne: Payne has been a resident of Sebring Fla. for over 20 years. She works at C.M. Payne & Son Inc., which is a cattle ranch in Sebring. Payne also works as a substitute teacher for schools in Sebring. Payne does not feel that HGTV's "Hometown Takeover" has impacted her at all as a resident of Sebring, Fla.
In this interview with Candace Payne, Payne shares her thoughts on the impact that HGTV's "Hometown Takeover" has has made on her life as a resident of Sebring, Fla.
This section is called "The Bad" because it seems that the residents of Sebring that were interviewed felt no impact from HGTV's "Hometown Takeover". They said that the renovations done by HGTV have not affected their lives at all and that they very rarely visit the downtown area of Sebring.
The Ugly
Dino's Cards & Collectibles: Dino's Cards and Collectibles is a hobby shop in downtown Sebring. The shop sells cards, sports memorabilia and other collectibles. Dino's Cards and Collectibles owner, Ryan Rhodes had a negative experience with the HGTV's "Hometown Takeover" due to them doing things to his shop without his permission.
In this interview with Ryan Rhodes, Rhodes explains the negative experience that he had during the filming of HGTV's "Hometown Takeover" in Sebring, Fla.
Conclusion
It would appear that the residents of Sebring Florida have mixed reviews of HGTV's "Hometown Takeover". It seems as if those who had renovations done to their homes and businesses are pleased with the work done by HGTV however, other residents of Sebring, Fla. do not seem phased by the renovations completed in the downtown area.
I personally will say that as I was walking around the downtown area of Sebring, taking pictures and conducting interviews for this project, I came across a lot of tourists who were in town due to the show. Many of them had been to both Sebring Soda Shop & Ice Cream Works and Sophie's Cafe. However, I only came across a few locals of Sebring during my time in the downtown area.
In Conclusion, It seems that HGTV's "Hometown Takeover" has had a major impact on the businesses in downtown Sebring. The show seems to have brought more tourism to the city, helped businesses succeed and brought more foot traffic to the downtown area of Sebring. It does not appear that it has made an impact on the residents of Sebring, Fla., and the show managed to give at least one business owner a negative experience.