“Oh geez,” exclaims Konya Hendricks Schuh as she shimmies a sofa through the front door of a historic home she’s renovating in Beloit, Wisconsin, in this 12-episode house-flipping series’ two-part debut. She laughs and adds, “That was the most Wisconsin thing I’ve ever said!”
Midwestern can-do spirit drives Schuh, a real estate agent, and her mother, billionaire entrepreneur Diane Hendricks who aim to revitalize the cozy burg with high-end flips on Betting on Beloit. Hendricks started her business in town and raised her family nearby. When the hamlet was ranked “the state’s worst place to live” by USA Today in 2019, the mother-daughter team stepped up. Diane Hendricks had previously worked on efforts to revitalize the entire industrial riverfront, finding new uses for the once-abandoned factory buildings.
“Beloit has a great history,” Schuh says. “It’s a place people came to achieve the American dream. It’s not just about restoring the houses, it’s about restoring the community.”
In that spirit of honoring the past, all the renos are in the same historic district. “We respect the architecture and preserve special details but add modern features today’s buyers want,” says Schuh, whose team includes husband Matt (a plumbing contractor); project manager Pete; local artisans and designer friends Kristin and Mitch; and realtor nephew Connor.
So, do she and her mother ever disagree on projects? “My mom is one of my very best friends. Of course, we disagree sometimes! We’re mother and daughter!” Schuh says. “There were times when I decided not to pursue a particular element for a home because I wanted stay on schedule and on budget, but my mom felt strongly it would make a big difference. We talked it out, sometimes I went with her idea and sometimes she went with mine.”
Like all transformation TV, episodes end with a stunning reveal. But they begin with something a little different — glimpses of why this small town is worth saving, like the Hendricks family tradition of visiting a local orchard to buy apples and doughnuts. “It’s a love letter to Beloit. Come visit!” Schuh says. If you do, build in some time to take a walk along that revitalized riverfront. Schuh says with a laugh, “The production crew said we should have called the show Bulging in Beloit because everyone gained weight filming here! Wisconsin cheese is the best.”
Betting on Beloit, Series Premiere, Saturday, July 12, 1/Noon c, A&E