The Beauty in “WacoTown”

But what is WacoTown? And what has this change in name done for our booming home? The WacoTown movement started as a community based effort to help a town bursting with potential emerge out of the limelight of a tragedy and a stereotype of boredom. What began as a mural on the corner of Franklin and Fourth Street quickly grew into a hashtag, t-shirts, and now—a new mindset.

Slowly but surely the “WacoTown Movement” has taken root in the minds of natives and even newcomers, allowing them to see the raw potential and excitement held in this blossoming town. Why is this new name so powerful though? From our point of view it’s because of this: WacoTown allowed our corner of the woods to re-brand itself and start anew.

A business may find itself stuck in an age-old quandary—how do I move from the way clientele perceives me, to where I want to be. Anyone in our business is chomping at the bit to step in and bridge that gap, aka re-brand. It’s not an uncommon crossroad to be at in the business world, but never have we seen such a successful urban rebranding achievement. So let’s break it down and see where the magic in “WacoTown” came from.

Prior to this movement, the 254 (a name affectionately inspired by the area code) was sadly associated with national tragedies and a case of ‘small town syndrome’. The tragedy of the Branch Davidians, and the more recent Biker Shooting, followed Waco’s reputation. Thus the town’s name was plagued with negative connotations for non-Wacoans. Not to mention, the once lively downtown area was wiped out in the 1950s by a devastating twister, which left a mere skeleton of what used to be and the stereotype of a no-name small town.

Some of this translates into a bigger problem with many individuals coming to Waco for school. The negative connotations began to stomp out the potential that college students brought with them for the town, slowly making Waco seem tired and square. Waco was a place you just passed through instead of investing in, setting the stage nicely for some serious change.

Then there was a shift. Suddenly Baylor had produced a Heisman Award winning quarterback, and for the first time in a while, Waco was in the spotlight for something positive and Baylor was alongside it. Then a mural appeared depicting a bear in the Heisman pose and read ‘WacoTown: Oh So Special’, solidifying the connection Waco and Baylor had made and wiping the slate clean for new positive energy to truly take root. With the creative start of the movement, WacoTown began to be a battle cry for Waco creatives, but it didn't stop there. WacoTown made students and residents alike proud to call this place home, and thus stuck around. Life was breathed into downtown and soon places like Dichotomy Coffee and Spirits, The Hippodrome and our own row of food trucks began to pop up. An air of unique familiarity set in over WacoTown, and produced what our urban brand is—a distinct community between all who find themselves in the 254. Whether that be the Baylor Student, Creative Mind, Waco Professional, or Homeless Man, all can and will find a home and their own potential in WacoTown.