Mike Hanus, right, and his daughter Carrie help Evan Knutson of Janesville pick out some finale fountains at TNT Firewaorks on Court Street in Janesville.
Customers at TNT Fireworks on Court St. in Janesville can get more bang fot the buck with this huge assortment of fireworks called The Big Bang.
One thing all fireworks retailers have in common are shelves piled high with bombs and noisemakers. So how can you determine which products are legal in your town? The operators who spoke with the Gazette promised their products are all legal in Wisconsin but said they’re happy to answer questions about specific community regulations.
Each municipality has its own rules, but there are some general guidelines for your shopping list:
-- Sparklers less than 3 feet in length, stationary cones and fountains, toy snakes, small smoke bombs and caps, noisemakers and confetti poppers with less than ¼ of a grain of explosive material are legal without permits—unless local ordinances prohibit the items.
-- Anything that explodes, moves along the ground or leaves the ground is illegal unless a group has a permit. That includes roman candles, firecrackers, bottle rockets and mortars.
Source: Janesville Fire Department and Wisconsin Department of Justice
JANESVILLE — Hundreds of fireworks and 11 kids in the same house might not seem like the brightest idea.
But when an opportunity to run a tent in Janesville for TNT Fireworks came up, homebuilder Mike Hanus couldn’t pass up the extra income.
“It does take a lot of time and we do have 11 kids, so it’s a lot to handle,” he said. “They’re all home-schooled and play in sports leagues, which all costs money.”
Tent operators average as much as $3,500 in profit each season, said Roger Meiklejohn, TNT’s manager for Wisconsin, who oversees about 50 tents across the state.
Hanus and other tent retailers in Janesville said business is still on pace this year, but sales on Friday and Saturday will be the real test.
“(Those days) are just unbelievable,” said Diane James, owner of Big Top fireworks, which has a tent in Janesville. “We can’t even really prepare our employees for the rush that comes on July 3 and 4.”
Hanus said his tent takes in as much money in sales on July 3 as the two weeks prior, and July Fourth sales usually double that combination of sales.
Meiklejohn said customer service is the most essential part of a successful tent.
“It really is just retail sales,” he said. “It’s about treating people well and helping with what they need.”
Tent operators are always combating a negative stereotype, Meiklejohn said.
“A lot of people think of fireworks stands as creepy places,” he said. “We try to be the opposite of that—colorful, bright, well-lit with friendly staff.”
TNT operators also stay in their tent overnight during the season. Hanus said that saves him time and work because the fireworks can stay set up, but hot weather can make the experience less than pleasant.
Big Top does not require employees to stay in the tents overnight, James said. Instead, they unpack hundreds of fireworks each morning and repack at the end of the day.
“I just couldn’t (sleep there),” James said. “I’d rather take it in and out every night.”
James has been working fireworks tents for her family since she was a teenager, but the company has run locations in Janesville for about 12 years.
Preparing for the holiday is a full-time job, and knowing your products is important to making sales, she said.
“It takes years of experience. You really have to know what you’re doing in this business,” she said.
Janesville fire marshal Larry Hainstock said tent operators must submit to an inspection each year. Hainstock said he checks to make sure the tent is fire retardant, fire extinguishers are in place and “no smoking” signs are posted in the stand.
“The people who sell every year have always complied,” Hainstock said. “We haven’t had a real problem.”
Tent operators also must apply for a permit with the city clerk.
James’ two daughters and son have grown up around the tents, helping their parents once they were old enough and learning the business, she said. She’s ready to retire and pass the sparklers to the next generation.
“They rode around with us and saw us running around, (saying) ‘Ok, this need to be done,’” she said.
“They really learned the retail part and see that it isn’t an easy job.”