At just 20 years old, Vilma Lara took over operations of Renegade Classics of The Woodlands and became the youngest owner in the motorcycle franchise’s history. Lara is also the first woman to own her own location.
Lara said she has been with Renegade Classics since it opened in 2011, and she first started out as a regular employee.
“I used to work for the previous owner, and he wanted to sell or shut it down completely,” Lara said. “I didn’t want that, and I didn’t want to lose my job. I fell in love with the community and with the [motorcycle] industry. They were already a part of my family, so I wanted to continue being apart of their family.”
Lara said even thought the motorcycle industry may not be known for being family-friendly, Renegade Classics of The Woodlands is a place for everyone to enjoy.
“The reason I went into this business is because I’m really big on family,” she said. “We are really family-friendly despite what people may think about bikers. We sell leather and helmets and T-shirts and jackets, but we’re also a place where you could just come and hang out.”
In addition to offering a variety of motorcycle gear and accessories, such as leather jackets, gloves, helmets and boots, Lara said the store also hosts events for the surrounding community.
“We have Sunday Funday bike night [event], and our next one will be at the end of March,” she said. “There’s usually food, drinks and a raffle. We try to keep it pretty family-friendly, too.”
While Renegade Classics is located across I-45 from Harley-Davidson of The Woodlands, Lara said her business remains unique because it is locally owned. Lara said Renegade Classics also offers a membership program to customers. Those who sign up receive emails about store events and receive 10 percent off their purchase, every time they shop at Renegade Classics.
“We try and keep everything affordable here,” Lara said. “We’ll be able to supply customers with whatever they need.”
While the industry remains largely male-dominated, Lara said she enjoys working with new and regular customers who walk through the shop’s doors. She also enjoys seeing more women join the motorcycle industry.
“You learn something new every day,” Lara said. “I’ve done this for about seven years now, and I still learn something new every day. It’s not always easy, but right now, the [number of] women [in] the industry is growing so much. What’s great about the industry is that you get to meet new people all the time, and you start to get personal and they treat you like family.”
Lara said her advice to women and girls who want to own their own business one day is they should never give up on their dreams and push toward achieving their goals.
“As a woman in a industry like this, you get a lot of pushback sometimes,” she said. “You want to push forward, not just to prove it to them, but also to prove it to yourself. [No] matter who you are or what your dreams are, you can reach them. I reached them at a young age, and I’m still not done. It’s worth it.”
