Fireworks dealers hope for a big bang in sales

WHEATLAND — Beer, bait, barbecue and even tattoos are standard fare at shops in an area that is informally called Whiskey Flats along U.S. 377 between Benbrook and Granbury. But this time of year, people want a literal bang for their bucks. "The girls like the pretty stuff; the boys like the noise," said Gary Johnston, an Alamo Fireworks vendor at an open-air stand who is preparing for a big July Fourth weekend. Police and fire authorities and fireworks vendors alike believe that the economic slowdown will cause fewer people to travel this year, so more will choose to buy fireworks and celebrate near home. The American Pyrotechnics Association, a trade group, has estimated that U.S. sales of fireworks will reach $960 million in 2009, up by $20 million from last year. Two-thirds of all fireworks sales are to the public from... [read full story]                    

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