Longtime Topeka Business Fills Niche

Photos by: JOHN BURNS

The capital city has many hidden treasures that often go unheard and unnoticed—places that have been in business for decades and continuously put out a great product. One of those such places is adapa, 5525 S.W. Randolph Ave., a locally owned, employee-oriented business started in 1964 by Paul Halsey and ran today by son Scott and the Halsey family.

A designer and maker of material handling carts, adapa, with its plant near the corner of S.W. 57th and Burlingame, sells its products to drywall distributors, cabinet manufacturers and furniture manufacturing plants across the country.

The way Scott Halsey describes it, adapa makes four-castered (wheel) carts similar to the ones you see in Lowe’s, Home Depot, and Menards that are used to move materials around. The difference is that adapa’s carts are designed more specifically to be on a construction site or a manufacturing plant.

“There are several companies throughout the U.S. that do what we do,” Scott said. “The interesting thing about our company is we’re kind of known as the Cadillac of the industry. Our customers use our products, but they may sell our competitors’ products to their customers. We’ve definitely been around longer, and the quality of product we put out is a little higher than others.”

The name adapa came from the slogan for the company: “Adaptable products for increased productivity.”

A family-run business through and through, Scott said his mother, 92-yearold Marilyn, still comes into work and helps with the day-to-day process. Additionally, Scott’s sister Robin Halsey Ortiz has worked for the company 20-plus years and runs the office and oversees the shipping of products.

EARLY BEGINNINGS

Adapa saw its evolution from Paul Halsey’s construction business, Halsey Tevis.

The Halsey family moved to Topeka from Wichita in 1965 when the construction company obtained the contract to build the interior of White Lakes Mall. Along with the move came adapa, Paul’s new start-up.

Paul saw a need to have wellconstructed, American-made material handling carts to help cut labor costs on job sites. Other people found out about what he was doing and started asking if he would be able to provide those products for them.

In 1979, Paul Halsey got out of the construction business and went full-on into adapa. Scott joined his father’s business in 1981 and worked his way up to president, a position he’s served in for more than 30 years.

Paul Halsey took his products to trade shows, conventions and conferences throughout the United States and Canada. Some of his creations had patents both in the U.S. and Canada. In 1987, adapa added a plant at its current location and then in 2002 added a large addition, making the plant nearly 40,000 square feet.

Another company, which became known as Shopcarts, was added when adapa started manufacturing carts for cabinetmakers. The additional space allowed adapa to go into the powder coating business for its items in addition to doing work for others.

When adapa moved to the new manufacturing building, a lot of land was available for a mini-storage area. The Halsey Corporation, which owns the land and buildings used by adapa, decided to go into business as Adaptable Storage.

Adapa started with one design, and over the years, has increased their product line to fit the needs of the construction trades.

“With a focus on the material handling aspects of drywall sheet goods, the business has continued to offer new and innovative products to the market that are often imitated but never duplicated in their quality,” Scott said. Paul was involved as an advisor in the family business until his death in 2010, Scott said.

COMMUNITY PROJECT

In addition to well-constructed material carts and its typical products, adapa also takes part in a community initiative. For the past few years, the business has made bike racks for the Topeka Community Cycle Project. Located at 801 N.E. Poplar St., the nonprofit has the goal of broadening access to cycling in Topeka through hands-on education and bike repair.

The locally produced racks are located at Shawnee County Parks and Recreation facilities around town, including Hillcrest Community Center, McDonald Field and Clarion Woods Park.

“They came to us and asked if we would be able to help them out,” Scott said. “And we were able to do what they needed us to do, and it’s just been an ongoing relationship since then.”

LIKE FATHER, LIKE DAUGHTER

Adapa isn’t the only Halsey-owned business in town.

Caitlyn Halsey, Scott’s daughter, is the owner and founder of Dialogue Coffee House, 4009 S.W. 29th St., at the intersection of S.W. 29th and Gage. Dialogue has an employee base of adults with intellectual and developmental disabilities, giving everyone a place to be part of the conversation, without the definition of one’s abilities.

Scott said all of his kids worked at adapa a little bit growing up but sticking with the family business wasn’t for Caitlyn. Scott said he enjoys having weekly discussions with Caitlyn about what’s going on with her business.

“She runs a lot by me trying to figure what is the best way to move forward with some of her concepts. Her business is totally different than mine, so I enjoy working with her. I give her the guidance I can, and she decides whether or not to follow it,” Scott said with a laugh. “That’s all I can do. That was her concept and her baby; we just back her the best we can.”

BUSINESS IS GOOD

Adapa’s business slowed right at the very beginning of the pandemic but has come back strong since.

“Currently, at this point in time, it’s good,” Scott said. “We’ve returned back to pre-COVID numbers. It took us a while to get back to this point. We’re at a good spot, and we hope that continues.”

While adapa is small with about 10 employees, like many businesses, it’s looking for a few more employees and working to find the balance of how much production can get done with the workforce and supplies the company currently has.

Scott said adapa sells locally to North Topeka-based drywall distributor Rew Materials, 730 U.S. Highway 24. Beyond Topeka, adapa works with a lot of companies on the east and west coast and has done business in nearly all 50 states and Canada.