Construction impacts fireworks sales
Story by Marshanna Hester (Contact)
5:56 p.m. Thursday, June 26, 2008
One-by-one, or in bundles, cars are treading down Urish Road near Huntoon.
“They're not traveling by here like they usually are,” said Frank Piraino, fireworks vendor.
It's just one of the few detours drivers can use to get to and from 21st and Urish where construction for a roundabout is causing major problems, problems that now affect Frank Piraino.
His fireworks stand sits right on the corner of Urish and Huntoon.
Stand locations
Not sure where to get your fireworks? We've created a map of all the fireworks stands in Topeka. Interactive Map.
“The amount of traffic that we get here, a ton of traffic, thousands of cars during this holiday season that go by here, will obviously be minimized,” he said.
But it's not stopping Frank and his crew from taking inventory and setting up for the customers that have come to this location for years.
In fact, that's one reason why he didn't let the construction get in his way.
The other reason:
Got questions?
Check with the City on what's legal and what isn't through their list of Fireworks FAQs.
“We still have a competitor down there that was there last year,” he said. “We figure if they're there, we should be here too.”
But being here might cost him.
Last year, Frank sold $45,000 worth of fireworks at the Urish stand. This year, he says he'll be lucky if he sells half of that. His goal is $20,000.
Frank was lucky enough to get this space for another fireworks tent.
He hopes it'll bring in more money than the tent on Urish, a place where Frank says construction can't slow his fireworks frenzy.
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