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.
“Her favorite thing to do when she is admitted is to go on wagon rides. That’s the one thing we can do every time to pass the time and to keep her happy and to help keep her as comfortable during frozen ride on toy treatments,” Laura said. Federal law prohibits any person from selling products subject to a Commission ordered recall or a voluntary recall undertaken in consultation with the CPSC.
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 frozen ride on toy 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.
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.
Whether you’re looking for an upgrade or a new wagon for your littles, at Target you’re sure to find one to suit your needs and lifestyle. A young sixteen year-old from Italy by the name of Antonio Pasin immigrated from Venice to the United States. Coming from a family of cabinet makers, Pasin was naturally gifted in design and carpentry skills. After moving to America, he started his first company, Venetian Furniture Company, which was inspired by his childhood home of Venice. He loved to play around with designs and ended up creating what he called the “Liberty Coaster,” named after the Statue of Liberty that greeted all new immigrants in New York City.
Three-in-one plastic wagons quickly and easily convert from two-passenger face-to-face seating to fold-down bench seating to cargo mode. The new Hero Wagon features a medical-grade, easy-to-disinfect fabric exterior, instead of the classic, but bulky, metal frame. The design is foldable, allowing hospital staff to collapse the wagon for storage and keep more on site. The Radio Flyer team added an IV bracket and clamp on the back so that a nurse or family member can pull the wagon without also needing to hang on to equipment poles or monitors.
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. In any case, the company was performing admirably in the midst of the Great Depression, churning out 1,500 wagons per day on average through a Ford-like assembly line process. The Radio Flyers and several other brands were marketed towards both boys and girls—a rarity—and eventually adults, since the wagons could serve just as well for gardening and other yard work. I really love the design of the UV shade, and it’s one of our favorite add-ons that we included in our Radio Flyer stroller wagon.
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.