Erin Binnie and Tori Wright, dubbed the “Mothers of Invention” by Toronto media, are longtime friends who revolutionized urban living with their product, VOOMcart. Their shared frustration with losing the walkable lifestyle after their children outgrew strollers inspired them to create a practical and stylish personal shopping cart.
Q: What inspired you to create VOOMcart?
Tori Wright (TW), Co-founder:
Our need to get out of our cars and get back to walking to run errands!
Erin Binnie (EB), Co-founder and CEO:
We both live in walkable urban neighbourhoods but needed a better way to transport heavier items. When our kids outgrew their strollers, we missed the convenience of walking everywhere.
Q: Who is VOOMcart for?
TW: We discovered a growing market of people living in walkable urban areas who needed a stylish, functional solution.
EB:
Active urbanites, condo dwellers and 'makers' who are constantly moving their goods around trades shows benefit from VOOMcart.
It makes daily errands easier and the built-in rain lids are a privacy bonus for people in condos constantly needing to transport personal stuff!
Q: How do you envision the future with VOOMcart?
EB: VOOMcart allows walking to be a viable form of transportation again, supporting community connections and local businesses. It’s crucial for our physical and mental well-being.
TW:
It’s more than a product; it’s a lifestyle.
We aim to inspire people to get outside, connect, and exercise. VOOMcart helps create happier, more sustainable cities.
EB: We see VOOMcart as part of a global movement towards walkability. Our first generation is just the start; we have many ideas for the future!
Q: How do people react to VOOMcart?
TW: People are often curious and excited when they see it. I get a lot of questions, and some even express interest in investing!
EB: The appreciation is genuine. VOOMcart speaks for itself.
Q: What challenges did you face during the pandemic?
EB: We dealt with supply chain shortages and shipping crises, but overcoming those early hurdles has made other challenges seem minor
Q: How did you two team up?
EB: We’re lifelong friends who had the same problem when our kids outgrew their strollers - we weren't meeting to walk the kids to programs and in the cars to go a block to get milk! We partnered with Jimmy Rogers, who also saw the need for a well-designed grocery cart - he was literally using his empty stroller to shop!
TW: Our families have been close for generations, our mothers had an accessory store in Kingston throughout our highschool years - so teaming up was a right of passage!
Erin and Tori’s innovation has not only reintroduced the joy of walking into urban lives but also created a movement towards more sustainable and connected communities.
