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Social Media Lights Up Over Nolo’s Celebrity Guests

By Mike Binkley, North Loop Neighborhood Association

On a stormy Tuesday evening, the co-owner of Nolo’s Kitchen was expecting a rather slow, quiet night at the restaurant. But instead, Brett Johnson said he started receiving excited text messages from staff, letting him know that celebrities had stopped in.

Chip and Joanna Gaines, stars of the hit series, Fixer Upper on HGTV have a business collaboration with Minneapolis-based Target. They made their way to the North Loop Tuesday evening for dinner.

Johnson said there was a definite buzz in the restaurant but things really blew up the following day when a fellow diner, Rachael Hoff, posted a picture of herself with the couple on Instagram. Nolo’s Kitchen reposted the photo and received hundreds of reactions and comments.

The building that houses the restaurant may have once been considered a “fixer upper.” It’s had previous lives as a hardware store and a Maytag production facility. 

Nolo’s opened as a restaurant and bar 18 months ago, incorporating many of the historic features of the building into its design, so the Gaines’ didn’t need to give any remodeling advice during their visit. They simply enjoyed a good meal.


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