The historic Heirloom Hotel in Laurel, Mississippi was supposed to be a major victory for the small town’s revival. Instead, the 29-room boutique hotel has become a nearly year-long wait for insurance answers after a devastating fire.
On August 26, 2025, at around 5am local time, flames tore through the restored Kress department store building. Firefighters from Laurel worked for nearly two hours before calling Ellisville for backup. No one got hurt because the building was empty. But the fire and water damage left the project in ruins. Officials later said an electrical issue caused the accident.
A Devastating Blow Just Days Before Opening
The timing could not have been worse. Erin and Ben Napier along with their partners Jim and Mallorie Rasberry and Joshua Nowell had just finished two years of work. The hotel was days away from welcoming its first guests. Booking for 2026 was about to start.
Erin Napier, 39, shared the news on Instagram the same day as the fire. She posted an image of the smoke-filled hotel while firefighters worked to control the flames.
“We held each other and watched it burning while the brave fire fighters from the Laurel FD worked for hours to get the inferno under control,” Erin wrote. “Today feels like a funeral.”
HGTV Finale Shows the Emotional Aftermath
The four-part HGTV series Home Town: Inn This Together still aired as planned. The finale called “Drumroll Please…” debuted on May 31, 2026.
Viewers watched the team complete the renovation and show off their work to local leaders. Then the mood shifted. A black screen with white text appeared saying “Shortly after filming wrapped, disaster struck.” The episode then showed clips of smoke pouring from the historic building with firefighters rushing to put out the blaze.
Ben Napier spoke about the loss during the episode.
“To come as far as we have, and then to have something like this… It is devastating,” Ben said.
Erin added that for a small town, the hotel meant everything.
“It doesn’t seem possible to me sometimes, but then, I know them. And I know that they don’t quit. They don’t give up on anything, and they’re gonna see it through. I’m so proud.”
Insurance Delays Hold Up Rebuilding Efforts
Nearly one year after the fire, the Heirloom Hotel still cannot move forward. The biggest problem right now is the insurance claim.
As of May 2026, Erin told a fan on Instagram that there is “nothing but waiting now to see what happens with insurance.” A timeline for repairs or reopening has not been announced.
Ben Napier shared a joint Instagram post on June 1, 2026 explaining the situation.
“It has been nearly a year since the fire, and our friends are STILL waiting on @libertymutual to complete the claim. 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.”
An 11-Year-Old Boy Writes to Liberty Mutual
Erin Napier publicly asked the insurance company to do the right thing. She shared a letter on social media written by Amos Sledge, an 11-year-old boy, who wrote directly to Liberty Mutual.
“I am writing on behalf of my friends who own The Heirloom Hotel in Laurel, Mississippi. You may have seen this hotel on the HGTV show, ‘Home Town,’” Amos wrote.
He continued, “As of right now, your company has not approved [their] claim to have the money to rebuild. It is heartbreaking to watch the show and see how hard they worked. They put it all on the line. I am writing to ask respectfully that you please approve their claim. This is your chance to prove Liberty Mutual is different.”
Erin captioned the post, “My dear friend, Mr. Amos Sledge, age 11, hopes @libertymutual hears his plea and does the right thing. So do I.”
Fans quickly flooded the comments with support. Many tagged Liberty Mutual and asked what they could do to help.
The Team Refuses to Give Up
Despite the long wait and major setback, the hotel owners have made one thing clear. They are not walking away.
Shortly after the fire, the hotel team posted a message on Facebook.
“There is history here worth preserving, a story still unfolding, and a town we love too much to give up on. Yes, today is heavy, but we still hold our heads up with hope. We are determined to keep going, whatever it takes.”
An October 2025 post on the hotel’s Facebook page also read, “If the Lord’s willing, we will keep building!”
The group continues to work on restoring the Heirloom building even without the insurance money. A message at the end of the HGTV finale said, “With deep commitment and community support, the ‘Framily’ continues to restore the Heirloom building.”
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Fans Can Own a Piece of the Hotel to Help Rebuild
Instead of asking for donations, the hotel team found a creative way to raise money. They are selling photo rails made from the salvaged maple hardwood floors of the original Kress building.
The Heirloom Hotel Instagram account shared the news after the finale aired.
“So many have asked how you can support us! Help us rebuild, one piece of The Heirloom Hotel at a time by purchasing a piece of it that’s been repurposed just for you,” the post read.
“What was lost was more than a building and something that so many people had poured into only for us to get SO close, yet never even get to open our doors. Most everything was not salvageable but we couldn’t see these floors, that have seen so many generations, just be thrown in the dumpster too.”
The Heirloom Photo Rails sell for $29.99 through Laurel Mercantile. Each 16-inch piece has the Heirloom logo and a tag that says “keep building.” The store’s “Inn This Together” collection also includes hats, shirts and candles.
Josh Nowell, one of the owners, explained their thinking in a blog post.
“We wanted to offer something tangible in return — a small reminder that restoration is possible, and that we aren’t the only ones building for someone,” Nowell wrote.
He also asked people to consider helping families who lost homes to fires instead of setting up a GoFundMe for the hotel.
“While losing a building is difficult, it’s harder to lose a home. Since the fire, we’ve become sensitive to every fire truck that passes. For those who want to give financially, we’d encourage you to consider helping families in your own community who have suffered a house fire,” Nowell said.
The Heirloom Hotel remains closed for now. The historic building that sat empty for 40 years before the Napiers and their team restored it now sits waiting again. But this time, the people behind the project say they will see it through no matter how long it takes.
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