About Us

Hi everyone! We’re Dianna & Dan - two veterans of the videogame industry who have spent their careers helping players find fun in virtual worlds. We’ve grown to love our community in Cedar Park, TX, just north of Austin, and we’ve been looking for ways to bring something new and exciting to our neighborhood.

  • Dianna

    Owner

    Founder, Resident Dungeon Master, and Spoony Bard! Coming from a background steeped in music and theater, I’ve worked in videogames for almost two decades. My love for books and games inspired the idea that became The Secret Lantern, and I’m beyond excited to be making this dream a reality!

  • Dan

    Co-Owner

    A longtime UX/UI Designer with a love for esoteric nerdery. Designing interfaces and working in games has been an incredible career, but there’s something great about building something tangible and physical. I want others to share that joy in creativity, storytelling, and play - come hang out with us and have a great time!

  • Two dogs indoors, one brown with a colorful bandana, and one white fluffy dog, sitting on a patterned rug in a living room with wooden flooring and a white coffee table.

    Maia & Vega

    Our Playful Pups

    Our two lovely dogs - Vega is a rambunctious Japanese Spitz, and Maia is a goofy Labrador mix with a heart of gold. Whether snuggled up next to us or sprinting around the yard, they make every day exciting.

  • Two black cats lying on a textured, brown blanket on a bed.

    Ajax & Phoebe

    Our Curious Kitties

    These two are half of a quartet of kittens we fostered after moving to Cedar Park. Ajax is an affectionate lad who loves to headbutt you for pets, while Phoebe is a fluffy gremlin whose squeaky meows always melt our hearts.

The What & the Why

The Secret Lantern started from a desire for community. We wanted to build a place where creative and curious people would feel safe and supported. If you’ve ever felt unsure if you’d be welcome in a nerdy space, we want you to be comfortable with us!

Another motivator was location. There’s nothing else in Cedar Park quite like what we’re making - an independent store for books and games, offering space for people to relax and enjoy both at their leisure. We want to be accessible to our community, so we’re working hard to secure a space that is easy to reach and provides a refuge for both locals and those traveling through.

Finally, we strive for independence and living for our values. We want to provide an alternative to large corporate stores and bring a personalized touch to everything we do. Helping others find what they’re passionate about and enjoy their hobbies - be it literature, storytelling, or gaming - is deeply fulfilling and important to us.

Our Mission

Our goal is to provide misfits with a place to make their magic - somewhere that folks can linger and enjoy a good book, spend an afternoon writing over coffee, or gather their friends for a night of dungeon-delving with their favorite Game Master. Whether you’re looking to indulge a favorite hobby or find a new way to engage your imagination, we want to be the place you go to for storytelling adventures!