The owners of the Heirloom Hotel have received nothing but support from fans as they continue to deal with the aftermath of a devastating fire.
Erin and Ben Napier‘s latest HGTV series, Home Town: Inn This Together, followed the couple and their friends — Jim and Mallorie Rasberry and Josh Nowell — as they transformed a historic building in Laurel, Mississippi, into the Heirloom Hotel. The show’s finale on Sunday, May 31, showcased the hotel’s finished results ahead of its opening.
However, an August 2025 fire severely damaged the building, delaying the opening. They announced their plans to rebuild shortly after, and have continued to document the renovation process via social media.
In a new episode of The Heiloom Podcast, which was filmed 30 days after the fire, Jim shared a sweet letter with Nowell that he had received from a fan who had been following the hotel’s construction journey.
Reading the letter, Jim stated, “‘Dear Mallorie, Jim and Josh. First of all, my wife, Melissa, and I want to tell you how sorry we are about the fire. We’ve never met, but Melissa and I stayed at the cottage last summer while your family was in Normandy.’” (Jim and Mallorie are the owners of The Laurel Cottages vacation rentals in Laurel.)
“It goes on to say, ‘Anyway, I’m old enough that I don’t like or have Facebook or Instagram.’ I’m with you. I don’t know that that’s an age-based thing. ‘So, [I] no other way to reach you,’” he continued. “‘I am a retired plumber, previously licensed in multiple states. Although I’m older, I believe I could still help to rebuild the hotel. If you need an extra body, you guys are like family to us because we’ve been watching you for so long. We’ve already booked our next stay in your cottage. Hopefully, we can meet face-to-face.”
In the letter, the fan, named John, assured that his offer to help was “sincere.” Jim read, “‘So, if there’s anything I can do, plumbing-wise or management-wise, or even swinging a hammer, please reach out to me. It would be my privilege and pleasure to help you and the town of Laurel.’”
Jim thanked the fan for their letter, while Nowell stated, “It’s been incredible, and honestly, plumbers are hard to find. So, maybe I’ll look up John.” Jim joked, “We might need you!”
Following the finale of Home Town: Inn This Together earlier this week, both Erin and Ben revealed on social media that the owners are still waiting for approval of an insurance claim to help build the hotel.
“It has been nearly a year since the fire, and our friends are STILL waiting on @libertymutual to complete the claim,” Ben wrote on Monday, June 1, in an Instagram post. “We don’t know what the future holds, but we know God holds us. Thanks for watching the biggest thing to happen in downtown Laurel in a long time.”
Erin, for her part, shared photos of a letter a young fan wrote to the insurance company on behalf of the show’s cast. “My dear friend, Mr. Amos Sledge, age 11, hopes @libertymutual hears his plea and does the right thing. So do I,” she captioned her Sunday upload.
Home Town: Inn This Together, Streaming now, Hulu & HBO Max
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