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Recession won't dim fireworks sales, vendors say
People still want sparkle for Independence Day
Journal Photo by Amanda Muschlitz
Mack Hagaman looks for sparklers to bring to a July 4 family get-together.
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Published: July 4, 2009
Updated: 07/04/2009 12:10 am
The local fireworks business may not be blasting, but those who peddle smoke and fire this year say that it's not a dud, either.
Despite the recession, people still want some sparkle, crackle and ka-boom. Yesterday morning, an even trickle of customers dropped by Brad Wombaugh's fireworks tent in the Wal-Mart parking lot off Hanes Mall Boulevard, browsing a selection of pyrotechnics that included a fiery Jack O'Lantern, Smoke Balls, Killer Bees, Flash Dance and the Pyro Silo.
Sales have "been just about even," he said, though he started off Friday about $400 down compared to this point in last year's Independence Day activities.
Wombaugh's tent, like many in the area, is a way for churches and other not-for-profits to raise money. Wombaugh is the youth leader of Redland Pentecostal Holiness Church in Advance. He said that a regional representative for TNT Fireworks told him that business was up about 6 percent over last year, but he is waiting to see if that happens here.
"We'll do about 75 percent of our business today and tomorrow," he said.
Carolyn Marin of Clemmons stopped by to pick up a $50 package. She and her husband spent exactly the same amount on fireworks last year, she said, and aren't downscaling nor stepping up their celebration in any way. "Nothing has changed for us," Marin said.
The Chargnois family of Winston-Salem -- Valerie, Wilfred and their daughter, Kyla -- picked up some fireworks yesterday, something that they didn't do last year, although the recession hasn't pushed them to alter their Independence Day celebration.
"We'll cook out on the grill -- maybe have some friends over," Valerie Chargnois said.
Julie Heckman, the executive director of the American Pyrotechnic Association, thinks that the recession will have an undeniable effect -- to the industry's benefit. She predicted a "banner year" for sales of backyard fireworks. Economy aside, it helps that July 4 falls on a Saturday, she said.
And because more people are likely to stay home this weekend, she figures that they will be looking for cheap entertainment.
"People just want to forget about their day-to-day troubles," she said.
Heckman estimated that he fireworks industry will bring in $960 million in revenue nationally this year, compared with $940 million last year.
Two-thirds of the revenue is from sales of backyard fireworks.
The catch is that the display industry -- which includes clubs, sporting events and parties as well as municipal shows -- is down 3 percent to 5 percent.
Some display purveyors are concerned that even if sales are doing OK this year, there won't be room for fireworks in municipal budgets come next year.
"Everyone is kind of hesitating about next year," said Glenn Knox of Piedmont Pyrotechnics in Lawsonville. "That's unprecedented."
"I've actually picked up a few displays, fairs and festivals -- things like that," said Jeff Hale of Hale Artificer Inc. in Lexington, who says that his business is up 10 percent to 15 percent.
Hale's 42 displays this week include the shows in Lewisville and Lexington.
"We're actually in a pretty good market. Next year, I think, will tell the tale as far as the recession goes. Time will tell,'' he said. "With a number of people out of work, a lot of small towns are saying we need to do something."
Locally, Kernersville and Lewisville haven't scaled down their budget for this year's shows. Tanglewood also didn't -- there will still be $10,000 worth of bang and boom tonight -- but it did raise the price of per-car admission by $1, to $5.
And just because business is up, it doesn't necessarily mean that Hale will be making more money. Insurance is more expensive, he said, as are shipping costs and the fireworks themselves.
Some of the briskest July 4 business comes right around the time that it gets dark, or after community fireworks displays start, said Lolita Ingle, whose church, New Life Tabernacle of Kernersville, is selling fireworks at five tents set up throughout the region.
By dusk today, she expects that their inventory will be running low, and they will likely sell even the $600 massive "Big Bang" fireworks package. "About 9 o'clock, our tent gets mobbed, Ingle said.
Wombaugh's tent will be open until about midnight. From it, you can see a little of Lewisville's show, he said.
"Hopefully, we're going to be so busy we won't see much of it."
■ Laura Giovanelli can be reached at 727-7302 or at lgiovanelli@wsjournal.com.
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