{"id":362416,"date":"2026-07-06T09:32:12","date_gmt":"2026-07-06T09:32:12","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-tx\/362416\/"},"modified":"2026-07-06T09:32:12","modified_gmt":"2026-07-06T09:32:12","slug":"how-a-texas-cereal-entrepreneur-turned-breakfast-into-an-airbnb-stay","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-tx\/362416\/","title":{"rendered":"How a Texas \u2018cereal entrepreneur\u2019 turned breakfast into an Airbnb stay"},"content":{"rendered":"

As a designer, Airbnb host and serial entrepreneur turned \u201ccereal\u00a0entrepreneur,\u201d Texas native Trey\u00a0Dillon\u00a0typically likes to think outside of the box. However, when it came to his latest idea for a new bed-and-breakfast in Tyler<\/a>, he decided to think inside the box\u00a0\u2014 literally.\u00a0<\/p>\n

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\u201cBed and breakfasts, as an industry, I think we\u2019ve lost sight of the ‘breakfast’ part of it,\u201d the 35-year-old told the Express-News. \u201cWe\u2019ve been distracted by the ‘bed’ portion of the product and underestimated the ‘breakfast’ element of the experience.\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n

That philosophy inspired his winning entry for\u00a0Airbnb\u2019s global OMG! Category contest<\/a>: two giant cereal boxes, dubbed Cereal BNB<\/a>.<\/p>\n

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\"When<\/p>\n

When it came to his latest idea for a new bed-and-breakfast in Tyler, Texas entrepreneur Trey Dillon\u00a0decided to think inside the box \u2014 literally.\u00a0<\/p>\n

Courtesy of Trey Dillon<\/p>\n

\u201cWhat\u2019s a better breakfast than cereal? It\u2019s iconic. It\u2019s a midnight snack. It got a lot of us through college and high school. Regardless of who you are, everyone\u2019s got a favorite cereal. There\u2019s an endearment for it.\u201d<\/p>\n

As part of its contest, Airbnb awarded money from its $10M\u00a0OMG! Fund to help design and build creative locations for folks to rent out. The winning entries were given $100,000.\u00a0<\/p>\n

From the idea\u2019s conception to its construction and completion, Dillon said the entire process to serve up his cereal-inspired inn took around four years.\u00a0<\/p>\n

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He began the design process by mocking up potential layouts with\u00a0\u2014 what else?\u00a0\u2014 cereal boxes.<\/p>\n

\u201cI started just by buying them and cutting them up,\u201d he said. A cereal box, however, is a \u201cterrible floor plan\u201d for a building, he added through laughter. \u201cIt\u2019s shotgun-style, really tall and narrow. It was quite the challenge.\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n

Ultimately, he ended up placing \u201ctwo cereal box<\/a> structures\u201d against one another to create enough room for a singular great-room, while maintaining high ceilings to give the building a \u201ccereal box\u201d feel. He completed the initial portion of the project by using 3-D software, then sent the files and sketches to DJS Architects<\/a> to render the blueprints for builders.<\/p>\n

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\u201cThey helped make sure everything was to code, and created something the builders could follow.\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n

\"Texas<\/p>\n

Texas entrepreneur Trey\u00a0Dillon said one of his favorite features at his cereal-inspired Airbnb is the milk carton-shaped sauna.<\/p>\n

Courtesy of Trey Dillon\"The<\/p>\n

The Cereal BNB features a custom eight-foot cereal bowl \u201chammock\u201d for lounging.<\/p>\n

Courtesy of Trey Dillon\"As<\/p>\n

As part of its contest, Airbnb awarded money from its $10M\u00a0OMG! Fund to help design and build creative locations for folks to rent out. Texas entrepreneur Trey\u00a0Dillon\u2019s Cereal BNB in Tyler was among the winners.\u00a0<\/p>\n

Courtesy of Trey Dillon\"As<\/p>\n

As part of its contest, Airbnb awarded money from its $10M\u00a0OMG! Fund to help design and build creative locations for folks to rent out. Texas entrepreneur Trey\u00a0Dillon\u2019s Cereal BNB in Tyler was among the winners.\u00a0<\/p>\n

Courtesy of Trey Dillon\"When<\/p>\n

When it came to his latest idea for a new bed-and-breakfast in Tyler, Texas entrepreneur Trey Dillon decided to think inside the box\u00a0\u2014 literally.\u00a0<\/p>\n

Courtesy of Trey Dillon\"As<\/p>\n

As part of its contest, Airbnb awarded money from its $10M\u00a0OMG! Fund to help design and build creative locations for folks to rent out. Texas entrepreneur Trey\u00a0Dillon\u2019s Cereal BNB in Tyler was among the winners.\u00a0<\/p>\n

Courtesy of Trey Dillon\"When<\/p>\n

When it came to his latest idea for a new bed-and-breakfast in Tyler, Texas entrepreneur Trey Dillon\u00a0decided to think inside the box \u2014 literally.\u00a0<\/p>\n

Courtesy of Trey Dillon\"Texas<\/p>\n

Texas entrepreneur Trey Dillon said his unique Airbnb was inspired by cereal. Pictured here is a custom eight-foot cereal bowl \u201chammock\u201d for lounging.<\/p>\n

Courtesy of Trey Dillon<\/p>\n

He also hired a team of muralists, including Houston-based Shelbi Nicole<\/a>, to paint the final colorful designs on the structure. Additionally, Dillon enlisted the aid of his personal friend group to help with the grunt-work, like installing staircases, laying tile and installing light fixtures.\u00a0<\/p>\n

\u201cI couldn\u2019t have done it without the support of my community,\u201d he said.\u00a0<\/p>\n

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For Dillon, the years of work were more than worth it, calling it the culmination of his life\u2019s greatest passions.<\/p>\n

Some of his favorite features are touches he designed and added himself, such as the \u201cmilk spill\u201d patio, the eight-foot cereal bowl hammock, a milk-carton sauna that says \u201cdon\u2019t cry over spilled milk,\u201d the \u201cnutrition facts\u201d mural detail on the side of the building and more.<\/p>\n

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\u201cThis really was a perfect package project for me,\u201d he said. \u201cI\u2019m an Airbnb host, I like building, I\u2019ve played around with architecture and 3D design \u2014 and this kind of became a playground where I could apply so many of my passions.\u201d<\/p>\n

\"Texas<\/p>\n

Texas entrepreneur Trey\u00a0Dillon said his Cereal BNB is a two-story cereal box Airbnb featuring \u201ctasty one-of-a-kind designs.\u201d<\/p>\n

Courtesy of Trey Dillon\"Texas<\/p>\n

Texas entrepreneur Trey\u00a0Dillon said the entire process to serve up his cereal-inspired inn took around four years.\u00a0<\/p>\n

Courtesy of Trey Dillon