Tent selling ‘legal fireworks’ goes up within city limits

The city’s fireworks ban hasn’t stopped a Lawrence entrepreneur from trying to make a buck off of the pyrotechnic equivalent of grocery store beer.

“Lawrence ‘Legal’ Fireworks,” a stand owned by 49-year-old Don Johnson, opened Monday at 27th and Iowa streets in the parking lot of the Ed Marling furniture store. The stand sells smoke bombs, confetti poppers, sparklers and novelties, but none of the stronger stuff that explodes or shoots into the air — or that was outlawed for use in Lawrence beginning this year.

Forget firecrackers and roman candles. How about the roaring sound of a Whoopee Cushion instead?

“You can have a good, fun Fourth with the things I have,” said Johnson, former owner of Johnson Chemical Company, 735 E. 22nd St.

When the city banned most types of fireworks, Johnson saw the opportunity to sell unregulated fireworks inside the city limits. He said he’s the first person ever to set up a fireworks stand inside the city and said he didn’t expect any competing stands until, perhaps, next year.

“I think I’m the only one that thought of it,” he said.

Victor Torres, director of the city’s neighborhood resources department, which enforces zoning regulations, couldn’t confirm Monday that Johnson’s was the only fireworks stand in the city’s history, but he said he believed it was.

Johnson started selling fireworks in his early 20s in parking lots of Kansas City-area Price Chopper stores owned by his uncle. He had a stand outside of town at 31st and Louisiana streets for seven years, but he’s been out of the business the past decade.

The only paperwork he needed this year was a transient merchant’s license and a temporary-use permit for the parking lot.

Debby Bogle, from Kansas City, Mo., cracks a smile after trying on an Uncle Sam hat at Don Johnson's fireworks stand at 27th and Iowa streets. Bogle helped Johnson run the stand, which sells smoke bombs, confetti poppers, sparklers and other legal

Johnson’s target customers are families with young children: people who want to add some “pop,” if not “bang,” to their holiday. He said he invested about $6,000, but declined to say what he expected to earn.

“I always did well at my other stands,” he said. “There’s a fairly good markup in fireworks.”

City zoning employee Lee Smith Jr. arrived at the tent Monday afternoon to make sure the paperwork was in order and examine Johnson’s inventory.

“Sparklers. Sparklers. Big sparklers,” Smith said as he walked around a table. “Looks real good.”

A few minutes later, the “Black Cat” signs outside the tent helped lure in two young customers, Nick Jaimez, 11, and Lucas Ingraham, 10. Inside the tent, there were Black Cat snappers, but not the firecrackers they expected to see.

Still, the boys left with a handful of smoke bombs and punks used for lighting fireworks.

“It was pretty good,” Lucas said. “It could have used some Black Cats or something.”

The family fun at Johnson’s tent won’t end with the Fourth of July. On the 5th, he’s having a New Year’s sale.

“Some of this stuff would be great for taking to a New Year’s party,” he said.

World Online Poll

What role will fireworks play in your Fourth of July?

I’ll shoot them within the city limits, despite the new city ban.
I disagree with the ban, but I’ll obey it. I’ll shoot them outside the city limits.
I’ll attend a public fireworks show. I won’t shoot any myself.
I don’t need fireworks to enjoy Independence Day.
Fireworks are dangerous and loud. I’ll phone police if my neighbors are illegally shooting them.
Undecided.

¢See the results »Note: This is not a scientific poll. The results reflect only the opinions of those who chose to participate.¢Related stories:Fireworks expected to move to county