CINCINNATI — If you're getting ready to host friends and family over the holiday weekend, picking up some fireworks may still be on your to-do list.
"I love fireworks, I love happy customers," said Kevin Surface.
Surface said he just started selling fireworks a year ago.
“I had just gotten sober, I graduated college and I didn't know what I was gonna do," he said.
He decided he’d start his own business, quickly learning the process was anything but easy.
"There's a lot of restrictions on it, I had to get eight different licenses to open up this tent," he said.
Now, Surface sells his fireworks from a tent he has set up in the parking lot of Bellevue Vets, just across the street from Party Source.
“The markup on fireworks is usually really high," he said.
And at the big box retailers, he said they're marked up even more.
“They'll give you coupons and that brings the prices back down,” Surface said.
But if you opt for shopping at small businesses like his, “I work with people, so I’ll try to meet your needs for the money you're trying to spend."
Meanwhile, Frank Wanner said he finds the best deals at Tri-State Fireworks in Wilder, Kentucky. He tries to keep his cart under $200 each year.
Tony Burns, president of Tri-State Fireworks, said it's intentional. He tries to offer deals that keep his customers coming back for more.
“We have a buy one get one free deal in every single section,” he said.
Something else for shoppers to consider is the tax on fireworks varies by state. In Indiana, there's a 12% tax on fireworks. If you buy in Ohio, there's a 4% tax in addition to the regular Ohio sales tax. In Kentucky, there is no additional tax for fireworks.
“It's just your typical sales tax, you're paying 6% sales tax," Surface said.
If you still need to grab your last-minute fireworks, Surface said he'll have his tent open until midnight both Wednesday and Thursday this week in Bellevue.
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