Hannah Van Sant and her parents, Mike and Lisa Van Sant of Sully, are among a few hundred fireworks salespeople in Iowa since it became legal to sell fireworks in Iowa on June 1.
Van Sants had a tent put up on the lot south of Casey’s in Sully by Hometown Fireworks based in Omaha, NE, on June 21, inventory came June 22, and fireworks sales began at 11 a.m. on Friday, June 23. Mike said, “The company sets up, consigns the products, and you pay for what you sell.” The company has about 20 stands this first year fireworks are legal in Iowa, including two tents Van Sants also helped set up in Pella and west of Newton.
Hometown Fireworks has medium-priced products, not the lowest and not the highest and are the only one selling its own Pyro Force brand. Sully fireworks sell for from 49 cents each for a kids version to $299.99 for about a two-hour show package.
Mike said their business neighbor next to Grinnell Firestone run by the Van Sant family was planning a fireworks tent. So Mike looked into it, and he said, “It fell together, it’s a no-risk venture. It’s good part-time work for our daughter Hannah’s college fund.”
Their hours are 10 a.m.-9 p.m. Monday through Saturday and 2-9 p.m. on Sunday. Fireworks sales will continue at the tent in Sully through July 4. The Van Sants say if you like New Year’s Eve fireworks, stock up now because they don’t plan to be open this winter, which is also now legal in Iowa.
“We took the business venture because of the timing and before the area is saturated with too many other stands; now was the right time,” Mike said. “Business has been really good, about what we were hoping for in a small market area like Sully.”
Even Lisa, who may be the introvert of the family, said, “I’ve been enjoying meeting and talking to people” and showing them the app on her phone which scans and shows customers what a particular fireworks package will look like when it is lit.
During the past session of the Iowa Legislature, the possession, sale, and use of consumer-grade fireworks on a limited basis became legal June 1 to and including July 8 and Dec. 10 to and including Jan. 3. Iowa law says you must be 18 years of age or older to purchase fireworks in Iowa, and residents can only use consumer fireworks on their own private property or the property of a person who consented. Iowa law lists the hours of use as 9 a.m. to 10 p.m. On July 4 and any Saturday and Sunday immediately before and after July 4 and Dec. 31, the time is extended to 11 p.m. Residents can shoot fireworks off from 9 a.m. until 12:30 a.m. on New Year’s Eve. When Iowa Governor Terry Branstad legalized fireworks, Iowa joined 43 other states and the District of Columbia in allowing fireworks beyond the sparklers, caps, and snakes that were the only fireworks products legal until now. The law allows individual cities in Iowa to legislate the use in their own jurisdictions but the timing hasn’t allowed many to change ordinances for this year.
