Booming business
Danette Goulet
Laws forbidding airborne and exploding fireworks have not diminished
the number of fireworks stands that go up in Costa Mesa each year -- it
just changed what’s for sale.
While some bemoan the replacement of Roman candles with sparklers and
spinners, the city continues to be flooded each year with requests for
fireworks stand permits, which cost $305 a pop.
This Fourth of July season, the city issued permits for 51 fireworks
stands to three companies, said Kathryn Webb, who handles permits for the
city.
The Blockbuster, Phantom and TNT companies have cornered the market on
fireworks in Costa Mesa, but the people working those stands are from
neighborhood churches and schools.
Local churches, high school clubs and sports teams, as well as an
assortment of other nonprofit organizations, run all 51 stands, Webb
said.
AYSO teams account for nine of those stands, and Costa Mesa High
School groups run 13.
Down on Harbor Boulevard, where nine groups have set up shop within
Costa Mesa’s borders, the Newport Harbor High School roller hockey club
has a booming business.
It hopes to raise about $4,000 for the team, in place of the $500 dues
students paid this past year, said David Christiansen, the team’s goalie.
At Harbor and Wilson Street, the 16-year-old goalie Tuesday was
working his magic on customers selling Blockbuster fireworks.
“The coolest one we have is the Cool,” he said, holding a blue
cylinder in a Vanna White meets the Home Shopping Network fashion.
This little beauty begins with a shimmering gold fountain with blue
flashes of light that then change to a gold and silver light show, the
product description reads.
“For the most part, they’re fountains -- hand-held fountains or
sparklers,” David said.
The blooming entrepreneur began his pitch with the smallest spinner:
“Cheap and fun -- six for only 50 cents,” he said.
He went through the whole gamut, describing the effect of different
smoke bombs, fountains, whistlers, spinners and sparklers, which remain
legal.
“These, instead of just sparkling, these do a little topspin thing --
they look like a flaming ball -- very nice,” he said, describing the
ground bloom flowers.
The young salesman was also versed on the stringent rules surrounding
his product, which at 16 he is too young to buy.
“You can’t use them in Newport, just here in Costa Mesa,” he warned.
“You have to wait until 4 p.m. on the Fourth and can only set them off
until 10 p.m.”
All the latest on Orange County from Orange County.
Get our free TimesOC newsletter.
You may occasionally receive promotional content from the Daily Pilot.