Storied Roots sells teak furniture and artisanal decor from a storefront on Main Street Frisco, TX

A few weeks ago, I bought a buffet table that was delivered by the owner of Storied Roots — a store on Main Street Frisco selling teak furniture and artisanal decor. What makes Storied Roots so special (aside from its stunning product line) is that each customer gets white glove delivery from the owner himself. I love supporting local businesses and am always in the market for artisanal decor, so it goes without saying that I was thrilled to meet Kevin and learn about his offerings.

What inspired you to start this business?

Before I started Storied Roots, I worked for a software company but didn’t like working for “the man” — my favorite part of the day was during breaks when I could walk around outside. Prior to that, I worked a government job helping small business owners figure out what to do with their companies upon retirement. When I realized I was ready to stop working for other people and start something of my own, I reached out people who owned business and got connected with a family friend in Miami who sold Indonesian furniture. I realized how unique and high quality it is and left Miami inspired to bring teak furniture and artisanal decor to Texas.

Can you describe what your process looks like? Who designs and builds your products?

Most of pieces have already been designed at the time of purchase, then I’ll make modifications to the size or finish. Occasionally, I’m asked to modify Hindu statues for religious reasons (held objects and poses can mean different things to different people). I also make custom bespoke furniture. One time, a woman sent me a picture of a chair she found at a flea market and asked me to create an exact replica. It turned out great! You can see pictures of the final product (bottom left) and inspiration (bottom right).

Where do you find inspiration?

I did research during lockdown. Since I couldn’t travel to Indonesia in person, I used Google Maps to explore areas known for having a lot of craftspeople. Java has teak forests, so most furniture manufacturers are there; I also found a team that carves statues in Central Java. Other parts of the country are known for different crafts — Ubud, Bali is an artistic region that produces a lot of statuary and blown glass. Location is everything! Materials grown in Indonesia include teak, rattan, and lava stone — the type of stone used for statuary is major! Java is a volcanic island, and green lava stone is specific to that part of the world. The tropical location creates pieces that evoke warm weather, with traits like light colors and boat wood. You can’t really find a combination of that look and feel anywhere else in the world.

How would you describe your products? Does it match the decor of your personal home?

Teak wood furniture console and artisanal decor on display at Storied Roots on Main Street Frisco, TX

The first word that comes to mind is natural, which describes the materials of course, but also the processes like hand weaving and hand carving. Unique, hand-crafted, and sustainable also come to mind. All the wood pieces are sustainable — you need permits take down teak trees, and the government, which owns a lot of the teak forests, replants everything. It’s a big part of the country’s GDP, and it’s important that they do it right. In my personal home, I only have small artisanal decor pieces. My kids are still young, so I’m not ready to bring super nice furniture into the mix.

We met after you did a personal white glove delivery — how has that level of involvement influenced your business? Have any of your delivery destinations stood out to you as you think about where your work is sitting today?

Being involved in everything is amazing because you get to meet so many people. I’ve never met a shipper that’s owned a store, or met a store owner that delivers their own stuff out of state. I’ve delivered to some amazing houses! I’m honored to have pieces in some really nice homes — it’s very gratifying to know that somebody chose a piece to be something that people see in their homes or businesses. While my aim is never to be the one who is in the pictures, I want people to recognize the store and let the furniture do the talking.

Why did you choose to start your business in DFW?

When I was deciding where to set up shop, a lot of people suggested I go to the Design District, where a lot of Dallas interior designers shop for furniture. But I wanted to be more accessible, and I chose Frisco specifically because there are so many people moving here. They tend to have a little more income, and a lot of them want unique products for their homes. It felt like the perfect opportunity to tap into an underserved market, because, outside of big box stores, there aren’t a lot of other options up here — especially not for teak furniture and artisanal decor.

How can people support you?

Visit the store or call me! I like to explain the story behind the pieces and want to continue to provide a personal experience. I do have a website , but I like to talk more than I like to type.

Address: 7227 Main St #400, Frisco, TX 75034 | Phone: 972-266-2479