The Secret Lantern Books & Games wins 2026 Best of Texas Award

The Secret Lantern Books & Games, an independent bookstore and game shop in Cedar Park, has been named a 2026 Best of Texas Award recipient. The honor spotlights the store’s role as a community hub for readers and gamers and its fast-growing calendar of inclusive events since opening in late 2025.

Why it matters: - The award recognizes a local business that has quickly become a gathering place for readers, gamers, creatives, and community groups in Cedar Park. - The Secret Lantern’s model blends retail, food and drink, and programming, turning the store into a “third space” where people can stay, connect, and return regularly. - The win also highlights a business built around representation, with a stated focus on uplifting Black and Brown creators and other underrepresented voices in books, games, and geek culture.

What happened: - The Secret Lantern Books & Games was named a recipient of the 2026 Best of Texas Award on Oct. 28, 2026. - The Cedar Park store opened in late 2025 and has grown quickly into a community hub. - The business operates from a former bank building at 151 South Bell Boulevard in Cedar Park, Texas.

The details: - The shop sells books, with a focus on fantasy, science fiction, horror, manga, and graphic novels. - The Secret Lantern also carries board games, tabletop role-playing games, hobby products, and goods from local creators. - An in-store cafe and bar give customers a place to linger. - The events calendar runs almost every day. - Programming includes book clubs, author visits, tabletop game nights, Magic: The Gathering events, creative workshops, cosplay workshops, and improv performances. - Dianna Lora, a video game producer with nearly 20 years of industry experience, founded the business with her husband, Daniel Condaxis. - The Secret Lantern is an Afro-Latina woman-owned business. - The store’s community extends beyond the building through a Discord server with more than 600 members. - The shop’s guiding phrase is: “Where misfits make their magic and find their next adventure.” - Lora said the store was built so “everyone who walks through our doors can find a place to belong,” and said the recognition belongs to the community as much as to the owners. - Contact details listed for the business include phone 512-222-3071, email contact@thesecretlantern.com, and website thesecretlantern.com.

Between the lines: - The award appears to validate a retail approach built around experience, identity, and repeat community engagement rather than transactions alone. - The store’s mix of niche inventory and frequent events suggests a strategy aimed at making the business a destination, not just a bookstore. - The emphasis on inclusion and underrepresented creators positions The Secret Lantern within a broader shift toward community-centered independent retail.

What’s next: - The Secret Lantern plans to keep expanding its events, partnerships, and creative programming. - The store also intends to create more opportunities for readers, gamers, and creatives to find community as it grows with Cedar Park. - The Best of Texas Award gives the business a milestone it can use to reinforce visibility while it scales its programming and audience.

The bottom line: - The Secret Lantern Books & Games has turned a Cedar Park storefront into a growing cultural hub, and the 2026 Best of Texas Award confirms that formula is resonating locally.