JEFFERSON COUNTY — Charlie Johnson and Randy Vaughn hid from the sun underneath a striped tent on a recent morning as they deliberated over the merchandise at Randy’s Fireworks off I-55 in Barnhart.
Johnson pulled a wagon full of pyrotechnics that he will later ignite for an hour-long light show for his wife and their seven kids and four grandkids at his home in High Ridge.
“I’m looking for lots of color, multi-colored (fireworks), and things like tanks for the boys and sparklers for the girls,†Johnson said.
Despite the drought affecting much of the state and some increased prices, fireworks fans are stocking up and sellers are expecting sales to rise over the weekend. And, some buyers are scooping up larger, more elaborate explosives than in years past, spending thousands of dollars.
State Fire Marshal Tim Bean urged residents in a to use “extreme caution†if they decide to light fireworks this holiday season. Sparks can lead to grass fires that spread quickly and also endanger structures, he said.
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A longtime friend of owner Randy Vaughn, Johnson said he didn’t have a budget for this year’s haul, but that he was ready to spend a lot because the holiday happens only once a year so he wanted “to make it special.â€
“When you buy from a family business like this, you buy from Randy and you know what you’re getting,†he said.
Randy Vaughn’s wife, Debbie, said her husband lives and breathes fireworks.
“People like that,†she said. “They like when he knows what he’s talking about.â€
Randy Vaughn, a retired deputy sheriff, said he loves helping customers combine fireworks that go well together. He loves choosing which fireworks to stock his tent with each year. And he loves seeing the kids he used to arrest grow up and shop with their kids — who later grow up and shop with their own kids.
Though he marked up prices in 2021 and 2022 to offset higher shipping costs during the COVID-19 pandemic, Randy, who is in his 24th season, said he was able to bring prices back down some this year.
Some of the bigger buyers will drop $1,000 for a community show where neighbors have chipped in to buy fireworks they can enjoy together, Debbie Vaughn said.
When the Vaughns started their fireworks business over two decades ago, customers would spend $50 to $200. Now, the average buyer is likely to leave with $100 to $300 worth of fireworks.
This year, the most popular firework in the tent is the 500 gram cake, the most powerful firework available for purchase in the U.S. It sells for $40 to $250 per cake, depending on size.
“If you want to have a show at home that looks like at the Arch, you’re going to go for the 500g,†Debbie said.
Debbie said customers want more bang for their buck this year, and Missouri’s ongoing has made some residents more cautious. Instead of people lighting up the sky each day of the week leading up to the holiday, customers are holding off until the Fourth.
Debbie Vaughn said the deciding factor on whether this will be a good season for them financially is the weather forecast.
“If it rains this weekend people are going to feel confident that they’re not going to set their woods on fire,†she said.
Amy Richardson and her grandson, 10-year-old Will, both of Imperial, stopped at Randy’s Fireworks in the search of smoke bombs. Amy said they were only looking for “no-spark†items because of the drought, though she’s been hearing fireworks go off all week in her subdivision.
“We’ll let the professionals handle the big ones,†she said.
Erin Burnau of Burnau Fireworks in Arnold said inflation has affected sales. She said while some prices have stayed the same, others have grown 10% to 20%. Similar to Randy’s, smoke bombs and 500 gram fireworks have been the biggest seller.
“We try to be the cheapest on the street. Some people are spending $300, which is kind of small at this point (so close to the holiday),†Burnau said. “Usually, they are spending $1,000.â€
Fireworks City in Arnold saw an increase in customers late last week. Cord Dockery, fireworks seller by summer and teacher during the rest of the year, said people want to beat the crowds and the heat.
“We have people come in and drop $2,000 without batting an eye,†Dockery said.
Being the first firework stand across the Meramec River in Jefferson County works in Dockery’s favor. It is illegal to set off fireworks in ºüÀêÊÓƵ and ºüÀêÊÓƵ County.
“Most of our customers come from ºüÀêÊÓƵ County and Illinois where they can’t sell, so that’s an advantage to us,†he said.
Kay and Kevin Griffin traveled with their kids Leyton, 8, and Grae, 1, from their home in Illinois to shop at Fireworks City.
Kay Griffin said they were looking for “kids stuff, nothing too extravagant,†especially because of the dry weather.
Kevin Griffin loaded his shopping basket with a few exploding fireworks and multiple parachute fireworks, rocket-type fireworks that release a parachute after launched.
Christopher Roberts of St. Charles looked to take home an assortment of small fireworks for himself and his fiancé. The two are keeping it small this year.
Roberts said he has been shopping for fireworks at Fireworks City since he was a kid. He said he wasn’t going to spend more than $200 to $300 this weekend, a significant decrease from the thousands he has spent in years past for neighborhood get-togethers.
Despite having concerns about the drought, Roberts said he was still going to set off fireworks in the name of holiday spirit.
“The brighter the better,†he said. “The more colorful the better.â€