BestReviews has helped millions of consumers simplify their purchasing decisions, saving them time and money. Sign up here to receive the BestReviews weekly newsletter for useful advice on new products and noteworthy deals. “It’s just been this incredible partnership,” says Pasin, who’s led the company since 1997 and is the grandson of Antonio Pasin, who founded Radio Flyer in 1917.
Robert’s biggest challenge has been reinventing the company, which he’s done by focusing exclus‐ ively on children’s toys, expanding product development and moving manufacturing abroad. Located on Chicago’s Far West Side, Radio razor ride ons Flyer is the world’s leading wagon maker, manufacturing high-quality products for children since 1917. The makers of the original little red wagon, Radio Flyer is the only company to produce plastic, steel and wood wagons.
Whether visitors left with a tiny wagon or not, they undoubtedly saw the impressive structure, and so couldn’t have left without some knowledge of the Radio Flyer. 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. “Sooner or later you’ll have to buy the kids a big red coaster wagon. (This probably is a factor in their growing up to be 100% pure red-blooded American),” reads a 1953 ad in the Logansport Pharos-Tribune.
Adults who garden also love this wagon, which can hold up to 150 pounds of cargo. There is also a skating park, a carousel, an ice cream stand, and a myriad of playground equipment for kids. The wagon is really cool; its bed is padded and its handle is a slide. A near-century goes by, replete with ultra-cute photos of children being pulled by friends, siblings or parents in Radio Flyers. One hundred million were built, and the company put a billion wheels on the road. But in 1997, Antonio’s grandson Robert became CEO, and he soon realized the unprofitable, privately held company needed a thorough modernizing—or it would be out of business in a few years.
Today, a 15,000-pound red wagon stands guard on the front lawn of the nine-acre lot, which is hemmed in by rows of shrubs and a black steel fence. Parents Billy and Laura Reece said it brings a bit of comfort for their 2-year-old daughter, Emma, during chemotherapy treatments. Emma is a Leukemia patient at Mercy Children’s Hospital in St. Louis. It’s well constructed, super-fun, undeniably beautiful and big enough to make a splash on Christmas morning. Kids can ride inside — the steel body is still built with no seams, so it’s smooth and comfortable — or cart around dolls, trucks, empty cardboard boxes, or anything else they find intriguing.
As shown in this picture, the kids love to pull their siblings and cousins, but once the wagon gets loaded up it can get kind of heavy for the little guys. This is where the push handle and pull handle work in tandem, allowing two people to share the load. Whether you have an old wagon you’d like to restore or you’re in the market for one of these classic toys, s have both sentimental and monetary value to kids of all ages. Take your time looking around to find the model that’s right for you. When Antonio Pasin came from Italy to the United States in 1914, he was only sixteen years old. Three years later, Antonio had saved enough money to open a small woodworking shop.
Now you can get a fold-up fabric wagon with a metal frame for $70, and models that are pushed like strollers or pulled like a wagon for $200 to $250. This is a collapsible cloth-covered wagon for kids in the classic red color, capable of functioning as a bench or vehicle for tired children and a wide array of toys. It can not only be folded flat for easy storage and transport, but also includes a removable canopy to block harmful UV rays. The Radio Flyer Town & Country wagon has an extra large body crafted of natural finished hardwood. This wagon features bright red removable sides of select wood and durable steel wheels with real rubber tires for a quiet ride. The Radio Flyer Town & Country wagon also has an extra long handle for easy pulling and the handle folds under for easy storage.
Starlight Children’s Foundation is a 5013 organization that delivers happiness to seriously ill children and their families. To learn more and to help Starlight deliver happiness to seriously ill kids this year, visit and follow Starlight on Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter. Antonio’s biggest bet came in 1933, when he took out a $30,000 loan for a Radio Flyer exhibit at the Chicago World’s Fair.
By this time, the company was a distinct anomaly in the U.S. toy industry, because it had remained privately owned and was still run by the family of its founder. Mario Pasin had succeeded his father Antonio, and Mario’s sons Robert and Paul also were involved in the firm. Larger companies had made competitive inroads in the wagon business. One competitor was Rubbermaid, mostly known for its kitchenware, but which produced a line of plastic wagons through its Little Tikes division.