Completed in 1950, the 120-foot-tall Silos originally served the Brazo Valley Cotton Oil Company. On May 11, 1953, an F5 tornado struck Waco and caused irreparable damage to the downtown area, destroying more than 1,000 homes and buildings and taking 114 lives. The Silos escaped significant damage and have remained in their current condition ever since. Today the Silos are a prominent Waco landmark, and the "Magnolia" sign above the stage is a replica of the original sign Chip made when Joanna opened her first retail store in 2003; the original sign still sits atop the Little Shop on Bosque today.