Families fled en masse to the suburbs, where they boomed out babies who needed to be carted around their subdivisions or glide under their own power on the tricycles and scooters Radio Steel began to produce. “My niece a few years ago was diagnosed with brain cancer and she spent eight months in children’s hospital and she would sleep in the frozen ride on toy – she preferred to sleep in that,” Garone said. “It just made those moments when she knew she was going into more chemo, going from her bed to the treatment room… it transformed it and allowed her just to be a kid with something familiar and loved.” Starlight Radio Flyer Wagons distributed to hospitals across the country and played an integral part of a child’s pediatric care. Starlight Radio Flyer Hero Wagons provide a source of comfort and a sense of normalcy to sick kids during some of their most difficult times.
Fast forward to the 1950s, when Sputnik and “I Love Lucy” came on the scene. It was during this time, when fear of communism loomed, that the little red wagon cemented its status as an American icon. The massive art deco structure housed a kiosk, radio flyer wagon inside of which Anna helped work a mini assembly line putting together tiny steel wagons that sold for just 25 cents each—$4.56 today. As the Baby Boomers became “wagon aged,” Radio Flyer launched some new designs to appeal to this generation.
By 1933, Pasin had set up his newly rechristened business, the Radio Steel & MFG Company, at a large manufacturing facility on Grand Avenue in the Belmont Cragin neighborhood. Radio Flyer’s corporate headquarters is, remarkably, still essentially in the same location today—although all manufacturing has unsurprisingly moved to China. Pay special attention to shipping prices, as these are large, heavy items that can be costly to ship.
He sold more than 100,000 of the mini wagons, and the fair made Radio Flyer a nationally recognized brand. Emand for Liberty Coasters was so high that Pasin abandoned his cabinetmaking ambitions to focus solely on the wagons. By 1923, he had begun working with steel instead of wood and painting the metal wagons bright red. Radio Flyer’s Mini Line is the ideal companion for all indoor and outdoor imaginative play. The perfect size for dolls, plush toys, and gift baskets, the Mini Line’s sturdy steel construction and high quality components are replicated from the classic Radio Flyer line of toys. Radio Flyer Minis are small enough for a child’s little hands and big enough for any imagination.
The moment a child must be placed into a wheelchair can be scary and cause fear that something bad is going on – that is when our Hero Wagons come in. Starlight plays an integral role in the partnership, ultimately connecting Radio Flyer with the patients. The “World’s Largest Wagon” is a sculpture commissioned by Radio Flyer in honor of their 80th anniversary. It is nine times the size of a little red wagon, and weighs 15,000 pounds .
Today, Radio Flyer boasts a plethora of products, including thenewly released mini Teslafor kids and a wagon customers can trick out with various sun canopies and seat cushions. Robert’s biggest challenge has been reinventing the company, which he’s done by focusing exclusively on children’s toys, expanding product development radio flyer wagon and moving manufacturing abroad. The group began exploring ways to push their company into the 21st century. They prided themselves in the quality of the on-site stamped metal products and didn’t have the means to produce other items. At the time, they didn’t even have a product development team, according to Robert.
The wheelbarrow is ideal for children interested in gardening and can hold up to 25 pounds. This gardening accessory is recommended for children older than 3 years old. Accessories help provide additional comfort and ease, from helmets to protect the kids to hubcaps that guard the integrity of the wagon wheels. The range of accessories has expanded over the years and is compatible with Radio Flyer stroller trikes, wagons and more.
The June 24, 2013 episode of Let’s Make a Deal parodied this wagon as a Zonk being offered under the name “Zonk Flyer”. In 2016, Radio Flyer introduced a new partnership product, the Tesla Model S for Kids. The first and only battery powered ride-on for kids with Lithium Ion Technology.