Suite deal

Thanks to Scott and Viki Young’s second-oldest son, CNBC’s “Cash Pad” may turn the couple’s historic building on the square into a cash cow, boosting Granbury’s tourism in the process.

The former bank building at Houston and Pearl streets that houses the Youngs’ “Red On The Square,” a high-end boutique, was chosen from among hundreds of other sites to be renovated by the show.

Properties that are remodeled will then be used for short-term rentals that could be financially life-changing for their owners.

The eight-episode series, which Scott said will begin airing in July, features house flippers JoJo Fletcher and Jordan Rodgers, the engaged break-out stars of ABC’s “The Bachelorette.”

The crew arrived in town last week, Scott said, to begin a 10-day project to renovate the building’s upper floor, creating two suites that will each include a sitting room, a bedroom and a bathroom.

The renovation does not involve the boutique, but the store will be closed during the construction work, Scott said.

According to Scott, the “big reveal” will take place sometime this week but will feature the couple’s son Kyle and his wife, Lauren.

Scott said that Kyle and Lauren own a home in Dallas and have had success renting it out through Airbnb.

He said that Kyle became aware that Cash Pad was seeking properties to be featured on the show and he submitted information on behalf of his parents.

“After the first initial cut we were advised that we were in the first 800,” said Scott, former president of the Historic Granbury Merchants Association. “Two or three months after that, it was down to 500.”

Soon after, Scott said, Kyle received a call from a representative of the show who said that they really liked the building but it was going to be an “alternative.” The reason, Scott said, was because “Granbury is a little town way out in the country.”

Kyle replied, “You need to call my dad.”

A producer did call, and Scott convinced him that not only was Granbury worth coming to see but it is a tourist town that has a built-in clientele. Seven-and-a-half million people live within a 45- to 95-minute drive from the lake town, Scott told him.

“They sent a site production guy and quite frankly he was blown away,” Scott said. “Part of the deal is they want to focus on and highlight the communities these properties are in, like, ‘Here’s the reason you want to go visit there.’”

A film crew shot footage of Fletcher and Rodgers with a costumed Brandy Herr, founder of Granbury’s Ghosts and Legends tour, at the A.P. Gordon house on East Pearl Street and the old county jail just off the north side of the square.

“It was an amazing experience!” Herr posted on Face-book, along with a photo of her posing with the celebrities.

Visit Granbury Director Tammy Dooley said the Convention and Visitors Bureau had been “working and talking” with Cash Pad representatives “for quite a while.”

“We were involved in recommending tourist attractions and things for them to do,” she said.

WORK TIME

Although the film crew has been shooting footage of the stars enjoying some of what Granbury has to offer, their time here is not all play. With a remodel, work is naturally involved.

Scott said that the show’s element of surprise is real and that he and Viki aren’t allowed to go upstairs during the renovation.

However, the team did spend “quite a bit of time” listening to his and Viki’s desires and opinions before getting started, he said.

INVESTMENT

The remodel isn’t all on the network’s tab.

“We had to make an investment as well,” Scott said. “But believe me, we get a great benefit out of it.”

He said that he and Viki will likely start renting the suites sometime after the episode airs in the summer. He said he does not yet know the specific date that the episode will air.

Scott said that Preserve Granbury is working on getting a historical marker for the red brick building. He said that construction began on the unique structure in 1902 and it was opened as Hood County State Bank in 1904.

Since buying the building about 10 years ago, he and Viki have used the upper floor for an office, a workroom and storage, he said.

“It’s been exciting,” Scott said of being chosen for “Cash Pad.” “And it’s kind of a game-changer.”

kcruz@hcnews.com | 817-573-7066, ext. 258