A growing passion for golf carts beyond golf courses inspired this new Wichita business

Jackson Holbrook has been servicing and customizing golf carts for years, but there was a distinct time in recent years that interest in the vehicles seemed to jump markedly.

“All of a sudden people were like, ‘Where can I get that?’ ” he said.

So Holbrook is opening Toy Faktory Golf Carts, a golf cart dealership, service facility and more in a 7,000-square-foot building under construction on West Kellogg just west of 119th Street next to Prairie Ridge Animal Hospital.

That’s in Wichita but close to Holbrook’s longtime home of Goddard.

For years, Holbrook said, “I’ve been passionate about building and creating cool things.”

He and his father, Reed Holbrook, would customize vehicles such as Jeeps and four-wheelers in addition to golf carts. They also have been servicing golf carts for the city’s golf courses and other facilities.

Jackson Holbrook said he noticed golf carts “becoming more of a neighborhood play toy or leisure type-product.”

“That’s kind of where the name Toy Faktory came from.”

People use the carts to drive to neighborhood pools or lakes.

“The passion grew for it,” Holbrook said.

Regulations have changed to allow them on the road, too.

“There’s a lot of positive movement forward.”

Holbrook used to have the Sears Hometown Store at Towne West Square. He said the experience of leasing taught him he never wanted to do it again.

“I just saw the constraints and issues,” he said.

Holbrook said he told himself, “The next time I open a business, I’m going to own that real estate.”

Toy Faktory will sell and rent the Evolution Electric Vehicles line of golf carts, a competitively priced brand he said no one else in town sells.

“We’re excited to bring that to Wichita,” Holbrook said.

He’s also planning to sell electric bikes at Toy Faktory. Holbrook said he’s still working with a few manufacturers to see which will be the best fit for sales and rentals.

Look for more information along with the store opening around the beginning of June.