Finally, in the summer of 1933, the moment of truth arrived. Antonio believed the pocket-sized novelty prize, at a price a kid could afford, could help turn Radio Flyer into a household name once the fair’s millions of visitors had come and gone. A big thank you to Radio Flyer for sending us a custom-designed Radio Flyer Stroller Wagon for us to love and adore. No other form of monetary compensation was received in exchange for this rave review. For generations of American children, the Radio Flyer “Little Red Wagon” has been a classic toy.
The now classic toy was named for Pasin’s love and fascination of the radio and air flight. The high quality steel coaster wagons were a huge success and allowed Pasin to increase frozen ride on toy production while lowering the price. With affordable wagons, the slogan of the company became, “For every boy. For every girl.” Thousands of children enjoyed these classic toys.
The Radio Flyer Ranger wagon has a full-sized seamless all-steel body with no-scratch edges and a seat back for comfortable rides. This wagon includes a child seat belt, and extra long handle for easy pulling and durable molded wheels. Radio Flyer has one of those incredible rags-to-riches stories attached. The Chicago-based company, known for its iconic little red wagons, was launched by a young Italian immigrant named Antonio Pasin, who came to Chicago practically penniless in 1914. A cabinetmaker who had trouble getting work in that field, Pasin dug ditches, washed vegetables, and took whatever work he could find, carrying his tools in a wooden wagon of his own design. After the war, the factory went back to making wagons and developed several new models in tune with the times.
Radio Flyer has more than 100 award-winning products available around the globe. Since 1917, the family-owned company has created icons of childhood, building a legacy of high quality, timeless and innovative toys that spark the imagination and inspire outdoor, active play. With over a billion wheels on the radio flyer wagon road, Radio Flyer wheels have carried, hauled and fueled more kids’ play and adventures than any other ride-on toy. Radio Flyer has received numerous awards, including “Best Places to Work” by Fortune, “Top Small Workplaces,” by The Wall Street Journal and “5000 Fastest Growing Companies in America,” by Inc.
Radio Flyer’s EZ Fold Wagon is designed as a full-sized wagon for two kids that folds compactly. With an easy one-hand fold, you can take or store the wagon anywhere. A vintage classic red Radio Flyer with some rust and peeling paint recently sold for $75 on eBay. It had all parts and was functional, but frozen ride on toy it needed some cosmetic attention to restore it to its original beauty. As the Baby Boomers became “wagon aged,” Radio Flyer launched some new designs to appeal to this generation. With the war over, materials like steel were plentiful again, and the classic steel wagon shape was back in production.
Starlight plays an integral role in the partnership, ultimately connecting Radio Flyer with the patients. Starlight Radio Flyer Wagons distributed to hospitals across the country and played an integral part of a child’s pediatric care. Doctors, nurses, child life specialists and caregivers across the US rely on these wagons every day as an integral part of a child’s pediatric care.
Pasin worked tirelessly and alone until 1923, when his wagon business had picked up enough that he was able to hire helpers. He incorporated his business as the Liberty Coaster Wagon Company, fondly naming it after the Statue of Liberty that had greeted him when he arrived in his new country. These wagons are a departure from the classic all-steel bodied wagons Radio Flyer made famous. Instead of steel bodies that sit up high, plastic wagon bodies sit down low. Instead of the flat floor you find on a metal wagon, you get molded-in seats, deep footwells and high seat backs for kids’ riding comfort.
The battery is integrated into the frame, but is removable for indoor charging. If you’re interested, you can donate money to Starlight specifically to fund these wagons. Starlight CEO Adam Garone told ABC15 his family knows the impact of the wagons firsthand. The wagon comes with an IV pole attachment, is made from medical-grade fabric that can easily be cleaned, and has a seatbelt with high, detachable walls, making for a comfortable and safe ride. The idea behind them is to make a child’s hospital experience a little less scary and a little more fun.
For your child’s safety, a no-pinch ball joint keeps little fingers safe and a controlled turning radius prevents tipping. The Radio Flyer Trav-ler wagon has a full-sized all-steel seamless body with no-scratch edges and natural wooden stake sides. This wagon features an extra long handle for easy pulling and durable steel wheels with real rubber tires for a quiet ride. Changing the company’s name to Radio Steel & Manufacturing in 1930, Pasin also introduced his first steel wagon, called the Radio Flyer.
In partnership with Enesco, it produced a series of Christmas ornaments featuring teddy bears and other animals seated in Radio Flyer wagons. It made Radio Flyer train cars, key chains, and refrigerator magnets, and in partnership with Danbury Mint, it produced miniature wagons to go with that company’s line of collectible porcelain dolls. Radio Flyer also worked with Mattel, one of the two largest American toy companies, licensing its name on the popular Hot Wheels brand of toy cars to make what appeared to be a souped-up race car-type wagon. Other licensed products included a toy Radio Flyer wagon that held a stuffed toy of the beloved Curious George monkey, and another similar toy with a Gund brand stuffed bear. Radio Flyer, Inc., maker of the famous and beloved Little Red Wagon™ is the world’s leading producer of wagons, tricycles, pre-school scooters and other ride-ons.