RELIABLE. RECOGNIZED. RAD. GOLF CART MAGAZINE More about Golf Carts at www.RadRydz.com BUILT FOR THE LOWCOUNTRY CRUISE DOWN THE STREET IN STYLE
2 | www.RadRydz.com For golf cart enthusiasts in Mount Pleasant, Rad Rydz has become a trusted name in repairs, refurbishments and custom upgrades. What started as a small side project for Andrea Leary and Chad Shores has grown into a thriving business known for quality craftsmanship and customer service. Rad Rydz isn’t your typical golf cart dealership; they also specialize in breathing new life into the carts you already own. “We take pride in transforming older golf carts into something fresh, stylish and powerful,” Leary explained. Whether it’s a performance boost, aesthetic enhancements or essential repairs, Rad Rydz ensures each cart gets the attention it deserves. In addition to service and repair, Rad Rydz also carries Star EV and Atlas golf carts and low speed vehicles (LSV). Leary and Shores said that it took them four years to commit to a new cart line. It was important that the new cart line came from a reputable manufacturer and that replacement parts would be readily available. Beyond business, Leary and Shores remain committed to the community. Each year, they donate golf carts to local schools and organizations like WakeUp Carolina, helping support important causes. “We’re grateful for the success we’ve had and giving back is our way of saying thank you,” Leary shared. SECOND CHANCE GOLF CARTS By Allyah Harrar
www.RadRydz.com | 3 If you’ve recently heard about a unique Jeep-style golf cart, it was likely Rad Rydz’s latest creation, custom-built and quickly sold to Greystar Apartments. This local business, renowned for its innovative and custom work, Atlas golf carts and low-speed vehicles, has taken creativity to new heights by constructing a golf cart using actual Jeep parts. Since opening in 2018, Rad Rydz, started by Chad Shores and Andrea Leary, has set itself apart from other golf cart dealerships. While many focus solely on sales, Rad Rydz has made a name for itself with its exceptional service and repair offerings. One of their most recent standout projects is their custom Jeep golf cart, which not only resembles a miniature version of the iconic off-road vehicle but incorporates actual Jeep parts. This unique creation is a testament to Rad Rydz’s dedication to quality and customization, offering customers a one-of-a-kind experience on the road or course. However, this was not one of the easier endeavors that Shores and Leary have undertaken. As Leary and Shores began designing and building their latest Jeep golf cart, they quickly realized how strenuous the process would be. After months of patience, dedication and sacrifice, their vision finally became a reality. When asked about the timeline, the couple stated, “it’s about six months.” “Once I order the body, they have to custom-make that body. They’re not just sitting in a warehouse ready to be shipped,” explained Shores. “And then once it gets back here, the process to build it is a lot more detailed than just a regular body.” Aside from the exterior efforts that go into building this golf cart, one of the most impressive things about their new product is its interior mechanics. This cart can reach speeds as high as 45 mph. The average top speed of a typical golf cart without any upgrades is 12-14 mph. “This isn’t just a regular golf cart on the inside though either,” Leary emphasized. “We put in a Navitas controller and a high-speed motor. You could program it how fast you want it to go. I mean, you could turn it down to 3 miles per hour and put a kid on it. If you want your kid to drive it or dad to drive it, you can turn it up to 45 miles per hour.” Reflecting on the journey, the couple shared their excitement about seeing the project through. “I guess my favorite part about it all is just seeing it come together,” Shores said. “Seeing your own products too,” added Leary. “Yeah, just piece by piece,” they continued. “Especially when you start with something so raw. I mean, it’s hard for a lot of people to see what it can become and the vision. Right? The vision. It’s kind of like when you walk into a house and it’s just the frame of the house; it’s hard to see exactly what it’s going to look like when all the finishing touches go on.” And so Shores and Leary did just that, following their vision through to make it a reality. By Johanna Rogers REINVENTING THE RIDE
4 | www.RadRydz.com Mount Pleasant natives Andrea Leary and Chad Shores started repairing and rebuilding golf carts in front of their house, across the street from Mount Pleasant Academy, as a side gig in 2019. Fast forward to February 2020, Rad Rydz officially opened. “COVID happened right when we were getting our start,” Leary explained as she gave the history of their company. “I said to myself, ‘what are we going to do!?’ We didn’t know if we were going to stay open. It worked out great for us. We were selling 50-60 golf carts a month, could have sold more, but there was a golf cart shortage. We were repairing golf carts around the clock.” During COVID-19, Leary was determined to keep the business going. They were repairing and selling golf carts at record volume. Leary studied the business and cold-called vendors to establish and solidify relationships. Rad Rydz is now a manufacturer. “It’s been great, honestly,” Leary said. “You can drive to us with your golf cart if you live in the area and we are the only golf cart shop in Mount Pleasant that’s capable of re-manufacturing any golf cart to a low-speed vehicle.” For readers who may not be aware, if you have a golf cart, you are only allowed to drive within a 4-mile radius of your home. LSV drivers have no limitations on how far they can drive to, and yes, they can even cruise down Coleman Boulevard. If you live on Sullivan’s Island or Isle of Palms, you can’t cross Breach Inlet with a golf cart. LSVs are only allowed to drive between the two islands. Live in Dunes West? Unfortunately, you can’t own a golf cart at all! You are only allowed to drive an LSV. With LSVs you do pay taxes, have a VIN number, they’re street legal, and have the SCDOT certified tires, lights and license plates. Rad Rydz is changing the golf cart industry in the Mount Pleasant area with their unique approach. Not only is Rad Rydz known for repairing and selling golf carts, but also giving back to the community. Leary and Shore have been pillars of the community for years. Leary doesn’t let “No,” a challenging situation, or even a pandemic stop her from succeeding. Every year, Leary and Shore donate a golf cart to Mount Pleasant Academy’s fundraising initiative and Wake Up Carolina — a recovery-focused program that offers advocacy activities, carrying out recovery-focused community education and outreach programs. “Any time we can give back, we do,” Leary added. “We have done well. It’s our duty to give back!” Rad Rydz is locally owned and treats you as family. Stop by Rad Rydz today for all your golf cart needs. Make sure you say hello to their beautiful pup Moultrie; he’ll be sure to greet you with the warmth and attention customers have come to know, expect and love when shopping at Rad Rydz. RIDE SAFE AND IN STYLE By Maurice J. Frazier
www.RadRydz.com | 5 What is it like working in Mount Pleasant? We love Mount Pleasant. We’ve seen the area change drastically in the past 30 years, but most of the people we grew up with are still here. This gives us opportunity to provide service to our friends, old and new. Rad Rydz allows us to give back to the community by working closely with the Town to provide golf carts for their events and donating golf carts to local nonprofits. How did your business start? We moved into Old Village, and I wanted a golf cart. We bought an old, ugly cart. Chad painted it red and installed used batteries. I drove the heck out of it. We had $700 in the cart and Chad bet me he could sell it for $1400. I told him he was crazy, but it sold. We used the money for a nicer cart, fixed it up and flipped it. We continued this, and it grew into a business. What is your most popular request? Definitely speed. Everyone wants their cart to go faster. We have several options to make this happen. My personal cart goes 37 miles per hour. How do you find passion? I don’t think passion is something you find. It is something that just exists. My passion is people. I am passionate about helping people find solutions. 2023 Best of Mount Pleasant LogoI try to uncover their issue before providing a solution. We work hard to to meet people’s needs. ANDREA LEARY AND CHAD SHORES SHARE: WHY RAD RYDZ IS ONE OF THE BEST
6 | www.RadRydz.com Drive anywhere in neighborhoods around East Cooper and you are likely to see families cruising around in golf carts. While most of these leisure vehicles used to be powered by gas, there has been a shift toward electric. According to Yahoo Finance, the U.S. electric golf cart market is projected to grow from $529.4 million in 2024 to $886.7 million by 2033. Here in the Lowcountry specifically, a variety of factors have contributed to the spike in electric sales. In late 2022, Andrea Leary, who along with her husband Chad Shores founded Rad Rydz in 2018, said they began to see the market demand shift from gas-powered carts to the battery-powered LSVs (low-speed vehicles). They noticed the trend developing even before then but waited until they could find the right vehicle to carry. “We kind of saw it coming for a while,” said Leary. “But we’re very particular about the brands that we sell. So we looked for probably four years to find a brand that we trusted, that we felt comfortable putting our name on it. We wanted to make sure it was something that had a lasting reputation, that we could get parts for.” One aspect of why people transitioned to LSVs had to do with a state regulation. Under South Carolina law, you are prohibited from driving golf carts at night, but you can operate LSVs anytime. “Well, I think it (the shift to LSVs) really happened because more people had golf carts, so they were using them more, and then they realized they couldn’t drive them at night if it was a golf cart, so then they wanted a low-speed vehicle so they could drive it at night,” mused Leary. “It fit their needs.” The other major industry shift they’ve witnessed is with lithium batteries. “We do a ton of lithium conversions where people have lead acid batteries, and they put the lithium in there. And that’s because lead acid will last about four years and a lithium battery will last 10-plus years – with no maintenance on it,” explained Leary. CHARGING THE FUTURE: GROWTH OF ELECTRIC GOLF CART MARKET By Colin McCandless
www.RadRydz.com | 7 If you see someone driving a golf cart on either the road or the golf course in Mount Pleasant, it’s a good bet the cart either came from or was repaired by Rad Rydz. In business since 2018, Rad Rydz is different from other golf cart dealerships. While most others focus on sales, 80-90 percent of Rad Rydz’s business comes from service and repairs. This means when you buy a refurbished golf cart from Rad Rydz, you know you’re getting a quality product. “When we first opened, we mostly sold carts, but now our focus is service,” said Andrea Leary, co-owner along with her husband Chad Shores. “We sell around 200 carts per year, and service/repair over 1,500. We have seen the most growth in refurbishing customers’ existing carts. We can take your existing golf cart and make it look better than when you bought it.” They can also take an existing cart that goes 15 mph and increase the speed to 35 mph or more. So if you’re looking to purchase a cart, give your existing cart a makeover, increase your speed or need repairs, come see why Rad Rydz was voted one of the best in Mount Pleasant. By L. C. Leach III For the sixth straight year, Rad Rydz has found themselves ranked among the Best of Mount Pleasant, taking the cake this year as the Best Golf Cart Service and Repair Shop. What began as a golf cart repair hobby for owners Chad Shores and Andrea Leary quickly grew beyond friends and family. As word spread to their neighbors and beyond, Rad Rydz officially opened their doors in 2018 and has since become a staple of the LSV (low-speed vehicle) market in South Carolina. The venture started with general maintenance and repairs but has blossomed into a full-service business. Expanding upon their foundation, they are now known for many other services including high-quality customization, refurbishments and LSV rentals. As longtime residents of Mount Pleasant, they are passionate about providing the members of our community with vehicles to be proud of. Whether you need routine servicing or something more complex like custom creative projects, Rad Rydz will take the time needed to get things done correctly and deliver amazing results. This continued growth has brought Rad Rydz to a new chapter as they recently upgraded to a new and improved location at 1316 Stuart Engals Blvd. The expanded space will allow them to better service our community and further support the work that has built their reputation from the beginning. LOW SPEED, HIGH STYLE THE GOLF COURSE OR THE ROAD By Allyah Harrar
1314 Stuart Engels Blvd.Suite C, Mount Pleasant SC www.RadRydz.com | 843-972-8525
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