Looking for something different in a handbag? A recycled skateboard purse might appeal to the adventurous and environmentally conscious shopper. For $250, these catch-alls are a hot item, unique to Red Ribbon Gifts.

Rychelle Langer, 26, bought what used to be a personalized gift basket store in November 2002. She soon transformed it into a trendy fashion and home accessory store.

“I knew I wanted to own my own business and I loved 124th Street,” says Langer. While she embarked on a complete inventory makeover, she recognized the value of customer satisfaction. “It was a month before Christmas and everyone wanted a gift basket, so we had to make them on the side.”

Langer got her management diploma from Grant MacEwan College. She also took courses in kayaking and photography. She started her travel guide course a week before the September 11th twin-tower tragedy, but she withdrew because the industry changed after that. That’s when her entrepreneurial spirit kicked in and she acquired Red Ribbon Gifts.

The store is in the black financially after less than two years. As owner, Langer does most of her purchasing and sourcing, and she tries to do so while she’s on vacation to cut down on travel costs. “It ties me down but not too much to keep me here,” she says.

To source out new products for her store, Langer reads magazines, looks online, and attends fashion accessory shows in the United States, recently traveling to New York, San Francisco and Las Vegas. Having established a loyal clientele, she knows that by constantly refreshing her inventory, she will hold their interest.

“We had people on waiting lists,” Langer says about the skateboard bags she imports from New York.

“We’re still geared toward gifts but we’re branching out,” she explains.

Langer doesn’t try to compete with big box stores like Home Outfitters. “Everybody goes there—I go there. You can’t compare. We try to keep everything unique.”