(WBBM NEWSRADIO) — Fireworks are expected to be in short supply for the Fourth of July this year because of a supply crunch, a Midwest retailer says.
Alan Zoldan, vice president of Phantom Fireworks in Youngstown, Ohio, outlined the market Friday on the Noon Business Hour.
“Unfortunately, because of the pandemic, there’s been this huge volume of merchandise coming out of Asia and the shipping companies have not been able to keep up with it,” he said. “And fireworks, unfortunately, are a low priority to shipping companies, compared with other commodities.”
2020 was the best season of his career, Zoldan said, as people turned to fireworks while under lockdown during the pandemic.
This year, his company is focused on stocking its retail outlets, which include stores in Indiana, Michigan and Wisconsin. His company has had to turn down requests from peers in the industry who are requesting product, he said.
“There’s probably not going to be a lot of roadside stands,” Zoldan said.
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