The was the unlikely brainchild of Antonio Pasin, the son of a cabinetmaker, who was born in Venice, Italy in 1898. In 1913, when Pasin was just 16 years old, the family sold off their cabinetmaking tools and bought passage on a ship bound for the United States. When business was slow, Pasin built pianos, dug ditches, and washed celery to earn extra money. For Emma – a 2-year-old Leukemia patient at Mercy Children’s Hospital St. Louis – riding in the Hero Wagon is her favorite way to pass the time during her hospital stays, according to both her parents and caregivers. The wagon enables her to easily tour the halls with both her toys and IV pole in tow, giving her a much-needed reprieve from the confines of her hospital room. One hospital staff member said that for kids like Emma, the Hero Wagon is a welcome distraction and can even reduce anxiety among patients awaiting treatment.
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, 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.
A stellar combination of a stroller and wagon, the Veer Cruiser Next Generation Premium Stroller Wagon ticks all the boxes needed to confirm its beach-worthy constitution. It has a working side door that latches, allows any spills to empty through built-in drainage holes on the floor, and can carry an emergency stash of snacks and juice boxes in its rear seat storage compartment. There are also two seat belts for little riders to buckle up in, as well as contoured seating for a comfy ride. Once the ride is over, the handle fits underneath the wagon for space-saving storage. Best known for their little red wagons, Radio Flyer has pioneered the ride-on realm of tricycles, scooters, bicycles and more since their founding in 1917. Initially Antonio crafted wood cabinets for phonographs, but soon switched to creating children’s wooden wagons.3He did his woodworking at night and sold them by day on the streets of Chicago.
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.
Radio Flyer now also offers additional toys such as a bounce house and a child walker as the company expands further into the toy market while remaining true to its wagon roots. When Antonio Pasin died in 1990 at age 93, his son Mario had already taken charge, and Mario’s son Robert took the reins in 1997. Robert has helped the company dramatically frozen ride on toy turn around its sinking market share, battling back against stiff competition from bigger toy corporations both foreign and domestic. As mentioned, Radio Flyer closed the manufacturing portion of its Chicago operations in the ‘90s, and they also discontinued the original classic steel wagon, moving over entirely to plastic.