Ree Drummond has saved her dying hometown of Pawhuska, Okla.! The tiny town — with just 3,600 residents and one traffic light — was falling apart before its most famous resident hit the big-time with her Western cooking show. Now it attracts up to 15,000 tourists a day! “Ree has done more for the economy of this town in two years than what has happened the entire 100 years before she became famous,” one local business owner. told The National ENQUIRER. Read on for Ree’s story, and click here for more news about Food Network stars ….
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Photo credit: Files
Just six years ago, the Food Network savior and
her husband, Ladd, purchased the town’s old mercantile and transformed it into a stunning marketplace. The 100-year-old space, known as “The Merc,” created 235 jobs — and 20 new businesses have sprung up since the shop’s opening!
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Photo credit: Files
To accommodate the increased tourism, Ree opened the Boarding House, a “cowboy luxury” hotel that was fully booked through October within hours of rolling out reservations! “She’s the single biggest employer in town next to the Osage Indian tribe!” claimed a Pawhuska resident.
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Photo credit: Mega/Files
Since The Merc’s opening, Pawhuska has seen a whopping 33-percent jump in sales tax revenue collectively across all businesses. Joni Nash, executive director for the Pawhuska Chamber of Commerce, gushed: “This town is very thankful for Ree.”
Just six years ago, the Food Network savior and
her husband, Ladd, purchased the town’s old mercantile and transformed it into a stunning marketplace. The 100-year-old space, known as “The Merc,” created 235 jobs — and 20 new businesses have sprung up since the shop’s opening!
To accommodate the increased tourism, Ree opened the Boarding House, a “cowboy luxury” hotel that was fully booked through October within hours of rolling out reservations! “She’s the single biggest employer in town next to the Osage Indian tribe!” claimed a Pawhuska resident.
Since The Merc’s opening, Pawhuska has seen a whopping 33-percent jump in sales tax revenue collectively across all businesses. Joni Nash, executive director for the Pawhuska Chamber of Commerce, gushed: “This town is very thankful for Ree.”