In 1977, the company improved its core product with several patented safety features. These included a new ball joint between the wagon handle and the undercarriage in which fingers could not get pinched, and a controlled turning radius to prevent accidental tipping. It also deployed new toys, such as the Fireball 2000, a 1970s children’s car. In 1997, Radio Flyer marked 80 years in the wagon business.
He wanted to make a splash on the world stage and catapult Radio Flyer to iconic brand status. He even commissioned famous industrial designer Alfonso Iannelli to construct a 50-foot-tall sculpture of a boy riding a Radio Flyer wagon. Tubes on the Activity Loops toys can detach from the base releasing small plastic rings, posing a small parts choking hazard to children. 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. The massive art deco structure housed a kiosk, 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.
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.
It’s super easy to fold up and can fit in tight spaces which is great when you’re headed to the park or on a road trip and this lightweight wagon makes it easy to transport and carry around from place to place. On any given day children and adults alike enjoy the slide. The Radio Flyer brand just celebrated its 100th birthday and the company commissioned a larger wagon that sits in downtown Chicago. The Spokane wagon has been voted by USA Today as the top roadside attraction in Washington.
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 radio flyer wagon 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.
Radio Flyer is one of the oldest remaining national toy companies still owned and operated by the founding family. The Radio Flyer team interviewed hospital staff and conducted in-field observations before putting pen to paper on a design. From there, the team sketched, prototyped and tested custom versions of the iconic wagon that could best meet the needs of patients and hospital staff. After several months of design and production, the Hero Wagon was born. This wagon includes Radio Flyer’s patented one-hand folding design making it easy to store– ideal for hospitals’ tight hallways and restricted storage space. “That was just a brilliant brand-building idea, because the World’s Fair was such a huge deal,” Robert says.
The first and only battery powered ride-on for kids with Lithium Ion Technology. The Flightspeed™ Lithium Ion Batteries are engineered to provide the best performance available with a lower impact on the environment. It can easily switch between a top speed of 6 mph (9.7 km/h) and a parent limited speed of 3 mph (4.8 km/h) with the flip of a switch located in the trunk. The Radio Flyer Tricycle features the same bright red color and graphics as the little red wagon.
You start by choosing a base for your Radio Flyer Stroller Wagon. Every stroller wagon base will have a push handle, which is similar to a jogging stroller. These push handles can adjust for height, or fold all the way down for storing, and this is what makes your wagon a stroller instead of simply a decked-out wagon. Because steel was needed for the war effort, the Radio Flyer wagons of the World War II era were made of wood. The company redesigned the wheel bearings to be smooth and quiet during this period. They featured all metal bodies, colorful wheels, and plenty of imagination-sparking details.
Then, when I have my young nephews for the day, it can completely replace the stroller and they get the fun of a stroller wagon ride, while I get room for all our family’s drinks and gear. For many people, an antique Radio Flyer wagon brings back fond memories of their childhood. A true piece of classic Americana, the wagons hold a special place in the hearts of the millions of children who played with them over the years.
That kind of versatility has certainly given the iconic, fire hy‐ drant red Radio Flyer some serious staying power. The company has been around a full century, with roots stretch‐ ing back to the early 1900s when the future founder of the company, Antonio Pasin, arrived in America. Antonio was born in 1898 to a family of cabinetmakers that lived in a small town outside of Venice. Like many at the time, he dreamed of greater opportunities.