Local stand reports record fireworks sales during pandemic

A local fireworks tent owner says he had never seen sales in June like this year.

Brannon Bartlett with Spirit of ’76 at Midway Truck Stop says folks are looking for ways to spend their entertainment dollars during the coronavirus pandemic.

“With the environment we’re in, you get your fireworks and you can take them outside. Everybody can do the social distancing and everything. So it fits for a lot of people.”

Bartlett is apparently in a good location. The job search firm Zippia says Missouri imports the most fireworks per capita in the United States. We average about seven fireworks a person, more than 42 million total.

“It’s the entertainment dollar that we’re after, and with no concerts, no ball games to go to, it’s limited to what you can get out and do right now and I think that also helps us,” Bartlett says.