“I think it’s a lot slower than last year. But yeah, we’re out here. We’re showing up for the customers that are going to show up for us,” Kristina Davis-Yusuf said.
MANSFIELD, Texas — Just under the Stars and Stripes, Kristina Davis-Yusuf is paying close attention to this year’s fireworks sales, especially after seeing how the past two years have gone.
She is one of many fireworks vendors doing business in North Texas who hope to end the season on a good financial bang.
“I think it’s a lot slower than last year. I would definitely say that. We’re out here. We’re showing up for the customers that are going to show up for us,” said Davis-Yusuf, owner of Stallion Fireworks.
One of those customers is 8-year-old Kinley Perkins, who proudly showed off her stash after shopping with her mom. She also plans to share her fireworks fun with a friend who also bought items this year.
“I’ve got some snappers. I got about five of them. I think we’ve got DJ nights,” said Kinley. “Elijah is his name. He lives out in the country. We’re going to see him. I don’t know what he got, though. He has two dogs.”
With parental supervision, Kinley says she’s ready to enjoy that July 4th fireworks feeling.
“It makes me feel like basically my expressions in the sky. And then it just makes my body feel like, whoa, just whoa. That is beautiful. I love it,” she said.
Fireworks sales have been in their family for decades and passed down from generation to generation.
“I always hand-pick every firework that we sell. So I actually can speak to the product, whether it’s something that snaps and pops, sparklers, or even the big BOOM!” said Davis-Yusuf.
Each year has been different for her family. Today, they rely on online sales too.
“Over 40 years ago, my grandmother started in Missouri selling fireworks out the back of her truck,” said Kristina, “then we branched off, over three generations of firework owners and tents. We now have four locations in Missouri.”
This year, she set up Stallion Fireworks along Highway 287 in Mansfield, hoping to top last year’s numbers, just like vendors across the country. In 2023, U.S. consumers bought 246.5 million pounds of fireworks. That number jumped to 295.3 million pounds in 2024, nearly a 20% increase.
Regardless of how this year’s sales turn out, Kristina says she’s looking ahead—not only to excited young customers like Kinley, but also to 2026, when America celebrates its 250th birthday.
