Community

Star Local Media Page 09

  Lone Star Roots celebrates Texas merchandise in Frisco store | Community Impact What started as an idea among family members has transformed into a successful business, said Carrie Ermence, Lone Star Roots founder and CEO.“This idea was one our family had for many years,” Ermence said.Located within Frisco Mercantile, Lone Star Roots sells T-shirts, aprons, coasters and more.The backstoryThe family applied for the Lone Star Roots trademark in 2016, Ermence said, but between her and her husband’s careers and their children’s school activities, they didn’t complete it. They resumed the process at the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic. Once awarded the trademark, Ermence said she and her family “got busy” with the company.The logo, Texas with a heart over the Dallas/Fort Worth metro, is a nod to Ermence’s father, who died in 2019 from heart disease.“I wanted to do a gentle nod to [my father] because he had the best seven years of his life in Texas,” Ermence said, adding that she and her family are originally from Chicago but relocated to Texas beginning in 2006.What’s special about it? Lone Star Roots celebrates all things Texas with a focus on family and fun, Ermence said.“We think of ourselves as Texas pride with a whole lot of humor,” Ermence said. “Everything that we do has to be made in Texas or touched in Texas in some way.”Ermence collaborates with local and statewide businesses to bring customers “the best of Texas.”“You don’t have to go to Austin to get an Austin coaster,” Ermence said. “You don’t have to go to El Arroyo to get their [merchandise]. We carry it.” In addition, Lone Star Roots also creates and sells clothing that is printed in Texas. Ermence said she works with The Colored Ribbon, a local woman-owned business that helps with graphic design and prints the clothing.What else?Ermence believes in giving back to the community and serves on the board for Refresh Texas, a nonprofit dedicated to providing hygiene items to children in need. In addition, Ermence is the co-chair for Women Enhancing Business in the Frisco Chamber of Commerce and serves as a chamber ambassador. 8980 Preston Road, Ste. 411, Frisco www.lonestarroots.com By Dustin Butler Feature Reporter

2023 Best of Business | Frisco STYLE Magazine Leadership and vision go hand in hand, and having one successfully without the other is difficult. Lone Star Roots understands this close relationship well as they have grown, thrived, and led in our community, which is why it was selected as the Best of Business in the Leadership and Vision category.  In 2006, Lone Star Roots Owner Carrie Ermence and her family moved to Frisco from Chicago and haven’t looked back, as they’re now proud Texans and even more proud to be a part of the Frisco community. That move and a love for where they are eventually spurred the business’s motto: “Love Where You Come From…Root Where You Are.”  Ms. Ermence knows well that leadership and vision can make or break a business and that businesses are only as successful as those working hard to grow them. She shares, “Optimism, relationship building, forward-looking, flexibility to adapt, and being involved in the communities we serve are very important to me.” As a leader at Lone Star Roots and in the community, when she’s not at work, Ms. Ermence serves on the Board for Women in Enhancing Business, the Board for Refresh, volunteers for Frisco Women’s League, and actively supports new business in the community as a Frisco Chamber Ambassador Team Lead. In creating and founding Lone Star Roots, Ms. Ermence says she and her family wanted the company to reflect time well spent, community, faith, friendship, and “a whole lot of laughter.” She explains, “Texas is home, and we couldn’t be more proud to be a part of the Frisco community. There are a lot of great businesses out there. I encourage everyone to support us all. Texas is a huge state! As a leader in our community, it is important to me that we continue to lift, build, and support one another in our growing business community. A success for one is a success for all.” While there are many points of pride in growing a successful business, Ms. Ermence says she is most proud that Lone Star Roots is about family, community, and connection and serves as a testament to the idea that it’s never too late to go for it. “The idea of Lone Star Roots started with many years of talking about it, a trademark started in 2016, which led to us revisiting once again in 2020 and launching, she recalls. “Our family moved to Frisco in 2006, which led to my entire family relocating here, and Frisco has been our home and a true testament to Love Where You Come From…Root Where You Are!”