Fireworks Blast
Bob Blackerby, owner of Fireworks Blast in Chelsea, holds popular fireworks for sale in his store. Photo by Roy L. Williams
For seven years, Bob Blackerby has been able to live out every young boy’s dream: running a fireworks shop.
Blackerby and his wife, Cynthia, have operated Fireworks Blast at 11766 Chelsea Road in Chelsea since 2008. An avid lover of fireworks since he was a pre-teen, Blackerby said it has been a joy.
“It’s a lot of fun,” he said.
Fireworks Blast sells literally thousands of items for both the young and old, and has what Blackerby said is the largest fireworks retail selection available to the public in this area.
Independence Day and New Year’s Day are by far their busiest time of the year, Blackerby said.
“The Fourth of July is a good time for people to get out and celebrate our independence. What goes better than fireworks?” he said. “I am excited because this year the Fourth of July falls on a Saturday. That should be a wonderful time of celebration. It’s great bonding time, family memories.”
Fireworks Blast does business year-round for other occasions as well, Blackerby said. Weddings, anniversaries and birthdays are becoming especially popular for fireworks sales, he said.
“We do a lot of wedding fireworks,” Blackerby said, adding that many couples buy sparklers to celebrate weddings.
Another trend is celebrating baby reveals, in which people announce the sex of their baby with fireworks.
“We are now carrying pink and blue fireworks especially designed for that occasion,” Blackerby said.
Blackerby said fireworks have gotten more sophisticated and bigger since he first got in business in 2008. He gets new items yearly and researches to stay on top of trends on the hottest products.
“I have a lot of new products out this year for the Fourth,” he said. “I’m always excited to see those new products. I like to try them out myself and like to hear the results of customers who buy them.”
Blackerby said Fireworks Blast has attracted fireworks customers from across the Southeast.
“I have fireworks that appeal to all ages – great novelties and assortments of fireworks for the children to play with as well as more sophisticated fireworks for the adults,” he said. “I try to be real reasonable and give the best prices I can.”
Though fireworks can be a joy, Blackerby said he always emphasizes safety.
“Fireworks can be dangerous if not used properly, but they can also be fun,” Blackerby said. “Be aware of your surroundings as you fire the fireworks, watch the children and always keep a bucket of water around.”
Hottest fireworks items at Fireworks Blast for 2015:
Sky Lanterns: These products, up to 3 to 4 cubic feet when inflated, blow up like a hot air balloon.
“It has a small coated wax paper at the bottom you can light and it builds up with heat and floats up just like a balloon,” Blackerby said.
500-gram multi-shot fireworks: These come in a box already prewired from the factory. On average, Blackerby said they have 8 to 30 shots in each one. For those who want to really gain attention, Fireworks Blast has some with up to 300 shots.
“You light this one fuse, step back and watch the show,” Blackerby said.
Big Fireworks artillery shells: “We research our fireworks and only want the best,” Blackerby said. “Big [Fireworks] has one of the best 60-gram artillery shells on the market right now. If you really want to make your neighbors jealous, we’re the ones to come to.”
