With the 4th of
July happening this weekend there will inevitably be backyard barbeques
and celebrations-a-plenty. A 4th of July party just is not the same
without some aerial pyrotechnics … yes, I am talking fireworks.

I
got in touch with the marketing coordinator at Tri-State Fireworks,
Lauren Burns, to get some information straight from the source: What
fireworks are essential for a successful display? What fireworks is
everyone else buying? A little history on their business and of course
how to enjoy a safe 4th of July display.

 

TSF
has been in operation for three years, and they are located in Wilder
next to Town and Country Sports Complex. It is Campbell County’s only
year-round fireworks retailer.

TSF is open from Memorial Day through Labor day as well as days surrounding holidays such as Halloween, Diwali and New Years Eve. It can also accommodate customers by appointment if you need fireworks for a specific celebration.

TSF
is family owned and operated. The store employs seven full and
part-time positions as well as a seasonal staff. The owners of TSF, Kim
and Tony Burns, grew up in Fort Thomas and Kim is a graduate of
Highlands High School.

Burns
said the most popular items at TSF currently are the sky lanterns,
large aerial repeaters, 60 gram artillery shells and novelty assorted
kits.

Any firework that has the word artillery in it has to be great at celebrating the nation’s independence, right?

Burns explained what prompted the family to open a fireworks supply store.

“Our tagline is ‘From our backyard to yours’ and
that is really how we got started. Tony and his two sons have been
blowing stuff up for years so they figured, why not start a retail store
and make the hobby a job. After Tony retired from Coca-Cola, the dream
was able to become a reality,” Burns said.

The fourth of July week is a busy time of year, but Burns explained now that people know about them, business continues to increase.

“Traditionally Labor Day and the 4th of July
are the busiest (times of year). Secondly, we see a lot of business around Memorial
Day. However, we are beginning to see it pick up around those fall and
winter holidays now that our customers know we are here to stay,” Burns said. 

The savvy shopper that I am, I asked if there were any specials being offered leading up to the holiday weekend?

“We have an incredible assortment of Buy 1 Get 1
Free Deals; ranging from bottle rockets, fountains and roman candles to aerial repeaters and 60 gram cakes,” Burns said.

Customers can visit their website for more information.

One
of the most important things to remember while celebrating the 4th of
July is safety. Burns advised people to pay attention to what they’re
doing when fireworks are involved. She said to keep an eye on the kids
especially and make sure to give the crowd enough clearance when
lighting the larger cakes and repeaters.

For those of us who have not selected the fireworks to celebrate with this weekend Burns said TSF can help with all your firework needs.

“People can stop in and see us. We can recommend products and put to together a
complete backyard display all within your budget. We also have video
footage of most of our products so you can view them before you buy,” Burns said. 

TSF is on Facebook too