Summer in the PNW: Lyndsay and Leslie Show Us Around Their Picturesque Hometown

Lyndsay Lamb and Leslie Davis, hosts of HGTV's Unsellable Houses, specialize in helping discouraged clients attempting (without success) to sell their current — and currently unspectacular — houses. The high-energy, twin-sister duo, armed with astute real-estate knowledge, great design instincts and a killer pair of vintage Volkswagen buses, find creative ways to pull off achievable renovations, making formerly lackluster homes enticing to potential buyers. It's a win for the seller and a win for the buyer — not to mention a win for the twins. Home base for these two is the quaint, vibrant and historic town of Snohomish, Washington, about 45 minutes north of Seattle. Get ready to get to know Snohomish.

Lyndsay and Leslie Fun Fact: The duo's signature restored VW buses are all given proper names like Ginger, Penelope and Olive. (Ginger is pictured here.)

Snohomish — a charming small town (population about 9,000), with a decidedly small-town state of mind — boasts a downtown district with loads of history and character. Yet the community is close enough to the metropolis of Seattle to satisfy those with a yearning for easy access to the benefits of big-city living. Seen here, the city center is home to a wide variety of locally owned businesses as well as distinct and unique features. With its historic district remarkably well preserved and maintained, the Snohomish Historic Downtown Association proudly heralds it as "the Pacific Northwest's most beloved small town."

Snohomish's Historic District, with its time-capsule aura evoking the turn of the 19th century, is listed on the National Registry of historic places. It's also known informally as the "Antique Capital of the Northwest" — with more than 500 dealers inhabiting several downtown antique malls and a wide variety of shops.

The shops, cafes and antique stores in downtown Snohomish never run short of items and features steeped in nostalgia. Here you can get a cold soda and snack for an impromptu trip to the moon. The downtown area is also known for a number of resident regulars and characters including a local poet who recites readings for passersby, sky divers frequently parachuting into a field near downtown and "the bubble truck man" — as Lyndsay and Leslie call him. You get the idea.

The Oxford Saloon, a local treasure in downtown Snohomish, is one example of those historic businesses with a rich and compelling backstory. Established in the early 1900s as downtown retailer Blackmon's Dry Goods, the store was later purchased by new owners, remodeled and converted into a saloon (and soon became one of the anchors of the city's downtown). As is the case with a number of early 20th century saloons (see also Ernestine and Hazel's in Memphis), with several rooms upstairs, it doubled for a time as a bordello. Today, it's a thriving restaurant and bar that regularly features live music and goes by the slogan "Family friendly by day and lively entertainment by night." Located on historic 1st Street, the restaurant's menu highlights include their signature burgers and truffle oil mac-and-cheese. Plus, as reported by the website The Everett Post, the Oxford Saloon is reputed to be haunted. Oh, and one more thing: It's one of Lyndsay's favorite spots on 1st Street.

Leslie and Lyndsay take a stroll down 1st Street in downtown Snohomish. Look closely. Notice anything unusual? The large clock gracing the sidewalk outside "Pegasus Nostalgiques" has two "12"s and no "11". (We warned you. There are quirks.)

As long as we're in the neighborhood, let's stop off at Lyndsay and Leslie's own HQ, Lamb and Co. Beginning in 2009 as a real estate firm, the twins' businesses have branched out on several related fronts including design, retail and special events. It's all linked thematically to the sisters' distinctive style and aesthetic as featured in their HGTV series.

Located on downtown's historic 1st Street, the Lamb & Co. storefront offers a wide range of home-related products including decor, kitchen and bath items, apparel, accessories — and even items featured in Unsellable Houses. Lynday and Leslie pop into the store frequently and almost always run into fans (as pictured: both big and small).

Aside from their boutique emporium specializing in home items, the twins' Lamb & Co. HQ also includes their real estate office and design studio located at 601 1st St., just a few doors down from the shop. And, as seen in Season 4 of Unsellable Houses, the twins recently restored and transformed a ballroom into an event space in a building on 1st Street located between their offices and their storefront.

The twins take a coffee break at one of their favorite downtown haunts, Looking Glass Coffee. The building also houses a wine shop and a frozen yogurt store. As star downtown entrepreneurs, the twins are the owners of this building as well.

Lyndsay and Leslie Fun Fact: Wondering where to get the best carrot cake in Snohomish? (We knew that you were.) According to L&L, that would be at Grain, an artisan bakery located at 717 1st St.

Lyndsay and Leslie pose along the Snohomish downtown river walk for a quick portrait. In addition to the scenic river views, the historic district also includes a picturesque gazebo just off downtown's Avenue A. In fact (for you Gilmore Girls fans), the vibe of Snohomish has been likened to that of the fictional town of Stars Hollow. It also might bring to mind Bedford Falls of It's a Wonderful Life fame. Branching out of downtown, Snohomish is graced with numerous beautiful homes in the Victorian and Arts and Crafts styles. In summary, Snohomish is a gem in the Pacific Northwest as well the pitch-perfect setting for Lyndsay and Leslie: like-minded twins with a mission.