How do you choose a fireworks stand location?
We always recommend that new vendors approach this startup aspect carefully because it’s still very much a brick-and-mortar style business. Therefore, a poor location can make or break you, especially in the first year or two of operations. Here are a few words of wisdom on this crucial topic.
How to Choose a Location – Basic Factors
Yes, the oldest adage in retail (location, location, location) still rings true for the fireworks business. Most of all, this involves determining where you can lawfully sell fireworks in your local jurisdiction. Not every city or town will let you sell fireworks, so you should know the rules before renting or buying anything.
Next, the second big consideration includes finding a location you can afford. Sometimes the rental costs surprise fireworks sellers who didn’t anticipate the burden. Unfortunately, it’s also true that a lot of landlords simply will not lease to fireworks retailers, which can ruin your endeavor just as fast as an anti-fireworks municipality.
Other Important Location Issues
You’ll want to do your homework and identify a location that’s most conducive to traffic flow. It has to be somewhere people can reach safely, so you have to choose a spot that they can access easily from a street or highway. It’s also important to have plenty of parking, including during the peak business times right before 4th of July.
Many new fireworks sellers make the mistake of having insufficient parking, or they set up a tent in a place that’s prone to flooding. This will have an obvious detriment on business success.
Are there remedies to the problem when you choose a place with obstacles or unlevel terrain? Yes, but It makes things much more complicated when you have to plow, level, or renovate a location, when you’re new, and have less cash.
Then there’s the issue of sufficient traffic in an area. Many fireworks locations are at the border of the city. This happens when the city government won’t allow you to sell, but the county will, which leads multiple tents to pile into a single location on one end of town.
Review These Key Location Selection Questions
- Do I have enough parking to support 80% of my business any given day?
- Is the site on solid/level grounding?
- Is this a flood-prone area? Does it have proper drainage?
- Is there sufficient traffic to justify this location?
- Where is it legal to sell fireworks in my community?
These are the most critical factors in sizing up a proper fireworks retail location.
Learn More About Selling Fireworks from a Pro
You may have some other questions about the fireworks business. After all, there are many details like inventory management, staffing your business well, and storing fireworks during the offseason.
That’s why you should check out these outstanding insights on selling fireworks from a veteran pyro, Dynamite Debbie. It’s always a wise idea to hear from others who have already mastered the fine art of fireworks retail sales, and emulate what they did right.
Black Cat Fireworks Can Help you Choose a Location
Did you know that Black Cat Fireworks offers a partnership program where we guide and support new fireworks sellers? That’s because we operate a significant portion of our business through affiliate sellers. We offer plenty of partnership perks such as marketing materials, advertising assistance, Dealer Locator visibility, and much more.
Black Cat Fireworks is one of the nation’s most recognized fireworks makers, a reputation we’ve built with tremendous customer service since 1952. Now is your chance to get in on this success by working with us. Everything about the fireworks business is a blast, whether you’re lighting firecrackers or selling them to 4th of July participants.
If you need further help growing your fireworks business, including how to choose a location, contact Black Cat anytime.
