WITTENBERG, Wis. (WSAW) – With less than a week until the 4th of July, you might be thinking about stocking up on fireworks. If that’s still on your to-do list, you’ll be happy to know they’ll be easier to find this year. However, some types will cost you more.

Fireworks Country said last year they didn’t get much of their shipment in until August because of shortages. This year, things are looking up. General manager Tony Bamke said while the shelves are fully stocked this year, they’re still facing other challenges.

They’ve been able to get the supplies they need but at double the cost. He says supply chain issues and shipment are having an impact on prices.

“We’re trying to hold our own pricing, we had to raise some stuff up, but it’s like you know when you go from $20,000 to get it shipped and you’re up to 40, it’s like you know, what are you going to do,” said Tony Bamke, general manager, Fireworks Country.

Bemke said the last two years have been the most challenging in his business’ 22-plus years. He says the store isn’t raising prices from last year on larger fireworks sets. However, on smaller items they’ll need to increase to maintain some profit. Bamke said they are doing their best to absorb the cost for customers even if it means making less of a profit this year.

With inflation impacting everyone, Bamke said he’s noticing more families are planning on staying home and to do their own small firework shows.

“With the price of gas over $5 a gallon, or around $5 a gallon, people want to say home. So they are like, we’re going to cut back on our budget a little bit and come in and spend a couple of hundred dollars and say ‘we’re going to grill out some hamburgers, eat some brats and just light some stuff off in the back yard,’” said Bamke.

Many larger community shows have been canceled for the year due to a backlog from pandemic supply chain issues. Bamke said others are cutting down on how long the shows are. This year they won’t have their usual extravaganza show, he said mainly because they just couldn’t find the help to run it.

Source: https://www.wsaw.com/2022/06/28/finding-fireworks-will-be-easier-this-year-they-could-cost-more/