Fireworks stands have busy season

Generally speaking, it shouldn't be surprising when fireworks stands and tents are busy on July 3.

You would just as much expect a supermarket to be jumping the Wednesday before Thanksgiving, a toy store buzzing on Christmas Eve.

But, Friday was no ordinary July 3. This is the first COVID summer, and with it the first COVID Fourth of July, the first COVID Fourth of July Eve.

Plenty of eastern New Mexicans have had their wages or jobs cut, their businesses shut down or at limited capacity. So as Friday unfolded, could sales have been a little light?

Not at all.

"It is definitely above normal, really above normal," said Michael Hall of Roadrunner Fireworks in Texico, and he would know, having been the stand's manager for 24 years.

"I think it's increased sales because you can't go out to the fireworks," Hall added. "I didn't expect it to be that good this year, but that's the way it is. Some years surprise you. You get your ups and downs. I was surprised this year how good sales have been."

Being outside the Clovis city limits allowed Roadrunner to sell the big-ticket items, the ones that go boom in a big way. "We sell just about everything that's legal for us to sell," Hall said.

TNT Fireworks was set up under a tent on Route 209, just enough outside the Clovis city limits to sell those bigger items. TNT had boxes, a few bigger than some of its patrons and some of various sizes containing words like "Maximum Blast," "Monster Canister," "Mad Dog," "Super Missile," "Blistering," "Fountain Supremo Delirium," "Party Time," "Big Bomb," "Pure Heat," "Epic Explosions," and perhaps best of all, "Whoa Baby!"

Carlton Reed and his grandson Kaden Reed, who will turn 9 next week, weren't interested in the items that went boom-boom-boom or bang-bang-bang. They were planning to head out of Clovis for the holiday weekend, to a family destination relatively safe from the virus, but first Kaden spent some disposable income - $20 he earned doing chores - on low-key July 4 merchandise at the TNT tent on North Prince. He had a bag filled with long sticks that kind of looked like licorice.

"I think they heat up," Kaden said.

Neither Carlton nor Kaden were letting this Fourth of July be too different because of the coronavirus.

"Just another day," Carlton said with a chuckle."

Kaden, in fact, was looking forward to his weekend.

"The fireworks," he said, "spending time with family."

Giant Fireworks off North Prince was just enough inside the Clovis city limits to not be able to sell any of the big-ticket stuff. But the stand has been doing a nice business anyway.

"Honestly, I think we've been more busy; we've been having a lot more people come in for the fireworks this year," said Manager Zane Sierra.

Sierra said some people who don't find the big-bang items at his stand might leave empty-handed, but those with small children want the items that make a lesser splash, which has kept sales steady.

"I think we're doing very well for being within the city limits," Sierra said, "because we're taking care of the kids, we're more kid-friendly here."

Whether the items were big or small, they were all ways - hopefully safe ways - of saying, "Happy 244th, America."