BOWLING GREEN, Ky. — Firework sales are seeing a boom as many local shows have canceled due to the coronavirus, but many have taken it upon themselves to celebrate the fourth with firecrackers of their own.
A football coach for the Westmoreland Eagles in Tennessee, Chad Perry has worked with Mid America Distributors for the past seven years. Working to sell and distribute fireworks in Bowling Green in his offseason, Perry says this year has been the busiest yet.
“Normally we stock our tent with a full-season order, but this year we’ve already experienced that we’ve had to go back our warehouse and get more fireworks,” said Perry.
Perry considers about 60 percent of customers well versed in fireworks, but as sales have increased, so have the number of people coming to buy for the first time. According to Booth’s Fire and Safety, there has been a significant influx in first-time buys.
“This year we’re expecting maybe 10 times as many people to get their own fireworks and shoot them off and with that comes an increased risk because as you know fireworks themselves are dangerous if not handled correctly, so we’re hoping from a safety standpoint people are using common sense and not having more issues,” said owner Doug Gorman.
Selling the Fourth of July favorite since June 2020, business is nonstop. Fire safety is a sticking point for Perry and Mid America Distributor and no matter the experience, each customer is aware of the safety risks for each firecracker purchase before leaving.
“When people come in the door and they say they want to buy some fireworks but they don’t know a lot about them and we’ll spend more time with that customer saying these are the things you need to do to be safe. Make sure you got this, or a flat surface or this that and the other,” said Perry.
Many are still quarantining at home, and while parts of the state are reopening, Perry says fireworks provide a sense of normalcy to many and take them back to a time of fun and tradition.
“I don’t think its really that people have more money to spend, I think it's just that people have always celebrated the Fourth of July in some form or fashion and they still want to do that but I think that the pandemic is kind of forcing people to do some smaller things and that’s why we’re seeing an increase. We want people to have a good time and with our fireworks they’re going to. And we’re excited for them to get them as much as they are to get them,” said Perry.
You can find Mid America Distributors in three locations with one of them off of Scottsville Road next to Bruesters. Fireworks are allowed to be shot off until July 6 in Warren County and until July 5 in Bowling Green. Masks and social distancing are encouraged at all gatherings.