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.”