Today we’d like to introduce you to Lauren Chandler.
Hi Lauren, we’d love for you to start by introducing yourself.
Here is an excerpt from a post I wrote on Substack that summarizes the story:
Storied Provisions is the dream I never knew I had.
It’s also a coffee-book-gift shop that I opened with a friend in December of 2025…
Storied’s story begins in a very unexpected place—the heart of a small town just northwest of Flower Mound. Matt and I were invited to a community dinner under the stars with our friends. The dinner hosts had closed down the street directly beside their business. Farm tables heavy with every food board you could imagine were lined up end to end, creating one large feasting table. Lights were hung overhead. Live music laid the soundtrack for the night. Strangers sat next to lifelong friends who sat next to new friends. It was a smorgasbord of food and people. I loved it.
Something about the night, every aspect of it, resonated deeply in me. I felt this hope and homesickness. I wanted to be a part of creating something like this. Gathering, community, good food, music, stepping out in faith, trusting the Lord to make something beautiful for others to enjoy. I had no idea what it could look like or even what it was. But I noted it in my heart and tucked it away for the right time.
A few months later, I found myself passing through the little town with another group of friends. They listened graciously as I tried to paint a picture of the night and put into words the hope and homesickness I felt. One friend asked, “what do you think it was?”
I didn’t know. Maybe it was a group of people breathing new life into a fading downtown area, the hospitality, the community, or the ambience? Or maybe all of it? They began to dream with me, asking “what do you think about…” questions. I started sketching ideas and pinning everything inspirational on my (secret) Pinterest board.
It seemed like a wild idea that would probably never happen but I kept dreaming and putting it before the Lord. A phone call with a dear woman who has found great success in business gave me the motto that would carry me through the next 3 years: pray, trust, and wait.
Pray for the Lord’s favor, wisdom, and direction.
Trust the Lord by taking the steps in front of you.
Wait on Him to show you what’s next.
A lot happened over the next 3 years. A lot of hard. A lot of good. I imagined Storied written on a piece of paper and tucked in my back pocket. It was always with me but not always before me. I would (figuratively) pull it out and pray over it. I set up meetings to pursue it, and each meeting offered a piece of the puzzle. It was far from complete, though.
Then one day, I surrendered Storied to the Lord.
I said, “I want to do this with You not for You. You tell me where You want Storied and what it needs to look like. It’s Yours.”
Then I walked into our kitchen and made a fresh batch of salsa. I asked my neighbor Sara if she wanted a jar. Despite having just had oral surgery, she said, yes.
I met her at her mom’s house (who lives next to her and across from me). Her mom wore a Summer Moon Coffee shirt. I made a comment about it and this crazy idea I had for a coffee shop called Storied and the rest is history (as they say).
Sara has an incredible and rare mix of gifts. She is an attorney by trade and writer at heart. She can make sense of the weeds while she is in the weeds but her favorite place is under a tree, dreaming and creating.
Storied Provisions would not be what it is today without her.
On a trip in November, only a few weeks before Storied would launch, I found an old copy of Aesop’s Fables. I immediately thought of Sara and her love for vintage books and classic stories. The night I dropped it off to her, she texted me pointing out a fable called “The Blind Man and the Lame Man”. It’s the story of two men with different abilities that came together to complete a journey they couldn’t have made without each other. It could have been called “Lauren and Sara”.
Sara put feet to what I could see.
There are so many other pieces to the Storied puzzle I could (and will eventually) share. So many people who brought their time and talents, heart and vision to this dream, but it all started here.
I’m sure it wasn’t obstacle-free, but would you say the journey has been fairly smooth so far?
Lauren: The location has presented challenges as our lease ends permanently at the end of 2030. Our landlords were only interested in allowing us to occupy the space because of our mission and the fact that we are a low-profit for-profit organization. Any improvements we made to the space were at our expense. We tried to make most pieces removable so that we can take them to the next place. Because we are a low-profit for-profit organization, we run on razor-thin margins. We have to get scrappy to make rent, payroll, and pay off debt. The snow/ice days in early February were a challenge. However, every challenge has been an opportunity to get creative. We’ve enjoyed that part!
Sara: Yes and no. It’s never easy to start something new in an industry with tight margins. However, Storied as we see it today is the answer to a thousand prayers for people in our community to feel like they can belong somewhere. For instance, our mercantile is home to dozens of local artists, writers, and artisans who found a home for their creativity to be shared with the community. I’m most proud of that at the moment!
As you know, we’re big fans of you and your work. For our readers who might not be as familiar what can you tell them about what you do?
Lauren (artist/creative): For most of my adult life, I have been a stay-at-home mom taking care of our family (three kids, most of whom are grown) and serving in our church (The Village Church, Flower Mound). In addition to those two main roles, I’ve written songs, children’s books (“Praise Him” and “Goodbye to Goodbyes”, a trade book (“Steadfast Love”), Bible studies, and released an EP (The Narrow Place). I have a heart for beauty, creatives, great stories, and good coffee and food. I never imagined owning and operating a coffee/book/gift shop but it’s been one of the most satisfying ventures in my life!
Sara (business/practice/firm and creative): I started my career as an attorney specializing in real estate and business. The very same day I found out I passed the bar exam, I found out I was pregnant with our first child. That set the trajectory of my career—always balancing a cell phone on one shoulder with a baby on the opposite hip. Over the past 13 years, I helped countless entrepreneurs start businesses and I always felt like I was helping someone pack for an adventure I’d never go on.
Fast forward to about two years ago when all the dominos lined up—I was ready to transition out of law, serve the underserved, and do something creative. Finally, I was off on a great adventure of my own with a partner that I lovingly say is the Yin to my Yang.
Are there any apps, books, podcasts, blogs or other resources you think our readers should check out?
Lauren: I’m reading “Theo of Golden” right now and it feels incredibly familiar: community, a coffee shop, a book shop, radical hospitality, and human stories. I host a podcast with two friends called Make It. Share It. We interview creatives who have had the courage to make and share something. I am inspired by every guest!
Sara: I habitually listen (never miss) two podcasts—How I Built This and Freakanomics. How I Built This needs no introduction. It’s the master class on how to get up the courage to do something crazy like start a coffee shop-bakery-book store with the ministry mindset of hiring women coming out of difficult circumstances. Freakanomics tackles the complicated and bizarre with winsome wonder. It’s a delight and often inspires new ways of thinking about old problems I encounter.
Pricing:
- Our cafe turns into a beautiful bespoke event space in the evening. We rent our space for $200/hour and we include our Edison drip coffee and sourdough chocolate chip cookies at every event because radical hospitality is a tenet of Storied Provisions.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://www.storiedtx.com/
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/storiedprovisionstx/
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/storiedtx
Image Credits
Avery Freatman
