Jake's Fireworks

2012-01-27T09:13:00.001-06:00

Items are coming in daily right now. We have tons of sky lanterns if that is your thing. Get them while it is hot & in stock!

Nebraska Shootoff

2012-01-23T10:36:00.001-06:00

Just wanted to give everyone a heads up we will be having our Nebraska shootoff on May 12th at the Adams County Fairgrounds at 5pm. It will be the same format as years past: visit, dinner followed by any questions and then we will have our demo.

Please registrar online by going to our website or by giving me a call 620-231-2264 ext 1137

Always remember it's never too early to get those orders in so you can reserve your World Class product.

-Josh

Nebraska product

2012-01-16T19:16:00.001-06:00

Hope everyone is doing well and surviving some of those cold days! Just received another container in today! Received some great product: #1 and #2 selling 500gram cakes One Bad Mother and Loyal to None respectively! Never to early to get your orders in and reserve your World Class product!

-Josh

2012-01-13T10:16:00.002-06:00

Hi All,
Hope you had a safe holiday! I am gearing up for the shoot off so if you have any ideas please email at staci@jakesfireworks.net
Thanks!!

From the Texas Distribution Center

2012-01-12T09:58:00.000-06:00

As things wind down from the New Years season reports are anywhere from average to above average sales. What a welcome relief to be able to say that after the summer we all endured! We are unloading containers at a rate of 6-8 a week here in Athens. We are readily re-stocking the warehouse to get ready for the up coming season. I am taking orders and have already had several people pick up merchandise for the summer. Keep in mind that we take orders and ship all year long and if you want to get a head start on the summer season give us a call and we can get you some merchandise.

Please keep April 28th open on your schedules as that is the day we are holding the annual product demo here in Athens. You should be receiving invites to it in the mail in the coming weeks.

159 days till opening day..................

-Brian

From the Nebraska Distribution Center

2012-01-09T11:37:00.001-06:00

I am back from the New Years season down in Louisiana and from Nebraska unloading containers. We have a lot of product already in stock for this next year. Never too early to get your orders in and reserve your fireworks for the 4th of July!

-Josh

From the Nebraska distribution warehouse

2012-01-06T12:53:00.001-06:00

Hope everyone had a good and safe New Years!

Just received two containers full of product yesterday. We have several new items from last year in stock. Remember it's never too early to get those orders in. Any questions don't hesitate to contact me 620-231-2264 or josh.stovall@jakesfireworks.com

-Josh

From the Nebraska distribution center

2011-12-26T17:04:00.001-06:00

I hope everyone had a great Christmas with your families and you had safe travels!

Just got a container in last Thursday. We received some great product: At it again, Glory days, We the people, and some other new items from last year. We will also be receiving two more containers right after the New Year about mid January. Feel free to give me a shout and see what we have in stock or even if you want to start an order.

For those of you that are able to open up for the selling season for New Years good luck to you as the forecast is in your favor with temps in the 50s and high 40s!!!

As always don't hesitate to shoot me an email or give me a call if you have any questions: josh.stovall@jakesfireworks.com 620-231-2264.

Hope everyone has a great New Years!!!

-Josh

Merchandise Needing a Home

2011-12-21T09:18:00.000-06:00

It's full speed ahead in the South Carolina division. Orders are coming in and going out by the day. Just received word from the Charleston, SC terminal that our containers that came early this week are ready for delivery. Also have another large group of containers that will be arriving next week. In addition to these two shipments, I have received four transfers from the Kansas office this week which helped fill some inventory shortages. Needless to say, we have a great selection and plenty of merchandise to fill those shelves for what we hope will be a great Winter selling season!!

-Josh Lawson
-SC Distribution Manager

2011-12-16T09:26:00.001-06:00

Hi everyone,
I know some of you are gearing up for the retail season so if you still need to place an order we are here for you. We have containers coming in daily right now.
I also wanted to take this time to wish all of you a Merry Christmas and a Happy New year!

From the Texas Distribution Center

2011-12-13T16:08:00.001-06:00

Just want to give y'all a quick update on things here in Texas. The rain we have all been praying for has finally come around, and it could not have come at a better time. As y'all can imagine orders are flying out of the warehouse. If you still have yet to get your order in and picked up please do so soon so we can ensure that you get your product before opening day.

One week till we open..........

As always call if you need anything at all!

-Brian

From the Nebraska Distribution Center

2011-12-10T11:21:00.000-06:00

Well looks like it is going to be a white Christmas in Nebraska with close to 10 inches of snow in a week. That's good in two ways: It will be a white Christmas and it is moisture that is always needed especially in the fireworks business.

Just wanted to let everyone know we are going to be receiving a container this next week and it will have a lot of the new 200 gram cakes that came out last year. Along with some new 500 gram cakes!!! If you didn't get any of the new items and would like some now or just want to reserve your spot for them let me know. Feel free to contact me via email at josh.stovall@jakesfireworks.com as I am in South Carolina helping out for the Christmas season here. I look forward to hearing from you!

If you are traveling for the Holidays have safe travels and I hope everyone has a Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year!!

-Josh

2011-12-02T13:27:00.002-06:00

Hi Everyone,
We are working on next years catalog. If you have any ideas please let me know. Thanks!
staci@jakesfireworks.net

From the Texas Distribution Center

2011-12-01T10:35:00.001-06:00

The season is upon us...........
We have started shipping orders out for the upcoming season. If you have not yet got your order together, do so soon so you do not miss out on any of the items that you want.
Texas and Louisiana have been getting steady rains every week to 10 days for the last 6 weeks or so. Looks likeTexas has really good chances for rain throughout the entire State beginning on saturday. Things are starting to look better, with that said still pray for more rain.
I did get word yesterday that Montgomery County (North Houston Area) banned sticks and fins but in a letter from the county fire marshal he said that as long as we keep getting rain there will be a regular season in his county. All in all I think that is great news, definitely better news than we were hearing just before the summer sales season.
I hope that everyone had a great Thanksgiving and will have a happy holiday season with lots of fireworks sold! As always if you have any questions or concerns do not hesitate to give me a call here at the office 903-264-2264.

-Brian

From the Nebraska Distribution Center

2011-11-28T09:03:00.002-06:00

I hope everyone had a great Thanksgiving! With Thanksgiving gone Christmas is right around the corner and you know what that means...Fireworks Christmas season.We are getting containers in almost everyday here in Pittsburg with product. Just wanted to remind everyone that if you are needing product for the Christmas season to give me a call at the Pittsburg office 620-231-2264 or shoot me an email josh.stovall@jakesfireworks.com

The New Year's season is right around the corner!

2011-11-28T08:42:00.002-06:00

As the Thanksgiving holiday comes to a close, most of our attention turns to the Christmas holiday season. Don't forget that the New Year's fireworks selling season is fast approaching. We are receiving containers by the day, and orders are coming in fast. In order to get a better fill rate on your order, get them in early so we can reserve the hot sellers for you. As always give us a call if you have any questions, and we in this time of thanks, want to thank you our valued customers.

Happy Thanksgiving!!!!!

2011-11-23T09:27:00.002-06:00

The Jake's Fireworks family would like to wish all of our current and future customers a HAPPY THANKSGIVING!!!! Enjoy the long weekend with the five F's:

Family
Friends
Food
Football

and

FIREWORKS!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Winter pricing

2011-11-21T14:11:00.001-06:00

Our World Class winter pricing is done! Price sheets have been mailed and your sales representatives are standing by to take orders. If you don’t receive your price list in the mail in the next few days please feel free to contact us to request an electronic copy.
Happy Thanksgiving!

2011-11-18T10:43:00.002-06:00

Hi everyone,
I justed to update you that our Christmas pricing has been mailed out to those who have a Christmas season. Look for that in your mailboxes. If you do not get it please contact your local representative. We are also going to be here the days before Thanksgiving if you wanted to get your order in before the holiday.
Hope everyone enjoys a safe and blessed Thanksgiving!
Staci

From the Texas Distribution Center

2011-11-16T20:18:00.003-06:00

Well another round of rain came through the state this week. We need to continue to get rain every week to get past this drought. I did get some good news from Louisiana this week, all burn bans in the state have been lifted.

The winter prices have been finalized and went into the mail this evening. Be on the outlook for the lists so you can start placing your orders. I am going to be in my Pittsburg office through the thanksgiving holiday and then will work out ofmy Texas office for the duration of the new years season. As always be sure to holler at me if you have any questions at all

-Brian

Firecrackers

2011-11-16T14:37:00.000-06:00

I often forget that WWW stands for World Wide Web. As I was reading some of the questions I received this week from our website, I realized that a lot of people have different beliefs and understandings of what make up fireworks. When we talk about the fireworks business and the products Jake's Fireworks sell, they may be different products (due to laws) than the products available in other countries around the world.

Today I want to discuss Firecrackers. What are Firecrackers? This answer may be different depending where you are in the world. However, there are a few common traits no matter where you are in the world. Firecrackers are used in many kinds of celebrations: independence days, weddings, business openings, religious ceremonies, and many holiday celebrations. The design of firecrackers all over the world is similar. Firecrackers are paper tubes that range in size depending where you are. Here in the United States firecrackers are typically 1 3/4" inches long. However, in other countries firecrackers can be as large as cigars. All firecrackers have some sort of ignition point. Here in the U.S. we commonly use a paper fuse. In other countries they use a material very similar to what you see on a match book. You strike the end of the firecracker causing the ignition. All firecrackers have some form of chemical composition which gives you the desired effect. Most firecrackers are using some form of black powder.

No matter where you are, all firecrackers have the following: A loud report followed by a smile! Remember to celebrate responsibly no matter what the reason!

Be sure to check out our selection of firecrackers!

Have a blessed Thanksgiving everybody!!

Mick Marietta
CSO of Jake's Fireworks

Travels with Josh Stovall

2011-11-14T13:30:00.002-06:00

I just got back from visiting some customers up in the South Dakota/North Dakota area. As you all probably already know the northern part had a very harsh winter and with that came flooding this Spring/Summer.

During the season I talked to some customers over the phone about the conditions and whether or not they were going to even have a fireworks season. For the most part many opened and had a good year considering the circumstances. Others were not so fortunate.

I got the opportunity to sit down with a customer on my travels and they showed me some pictures of their house during the summer that got flooded. I really didn’t know how bad the flooding was until I was actually driving up into the flooded area.

I even came across some roads that were still underwater and even some houses. With the flood waters rescinding many are rebuilding this particular family included as they have already gutted out their house and started working towards a better home.

True fireworks individuals they were anxious to talk about the upcoming season and even talked about possibly opening up for the Christmas season. So if you are in need of some fireworks for your Christmas season give me a call at our Pittsburg, KS office 620-231-2264 or shoot me an e-mail at josh.stovall@jakesfireworks.com.

Hope everyone is doing well and hope everyone has a Blessed and Happy Thanksgiving!

Do you have an idea for a firework name or label?

2011-11-11T13:10:00.000-06:00

As we are working on finalizing our new 2012 product lineup, we are in need of some labels and names for these new items. We are working on compiling a list of potential ideas, and want your input. If you have any ideas we would like to hear them. Please email any ideas and designs to jlawson@jakesfireworks.net. If your idea gets used, we will make special mention of it on our website and include it when we display our new product lineup in the Spring of 2012.

Lets get those ideas going!

- Josh Lawson
- SC Sales Representative

Winlock, WA warehouse to be open year round!!

2011-11-07T11:17:00.002-06:00

Starting Monday, December 5th, our Winlock , WA warehouse will be open year round. Another step forward as Jake’s Fireworks continues to set ourselves apart as the premier consumer fireworks distributor in the nation. We’re excited about the opportunities in the northwest and looking forward to strengthening relationships with our customers for many years to come.

If you’re needing merchandise for New Year’s get your orders in fast, merchandise is going quickly!

If you have any questions about our Winlock facility please don’t hesitate to let me know.

Jeremy Mohney
jeremy.mohney@jakesfireworks.net

2011-11-04T13:23:00.001-05:00

Just a heads up our garage sale is now over. However there are tons of great deals to be had so call your reps today!

From the Texas Distribution Center

2011-11-03T08:41:00.007-05:00

Here it is November already................... Wow time flies
Just a few updates on what is going on here at Jakes.

The garage sale is still ongoing. It is first come first serve and you must pay for it when it picks up or ships as always. There are some great bargains on the items so it you what to run some specials these would be great items for drawing people to your stands. If you do not already have the prices just shoot me an email and I will forward them to you.

The Winter price list will be coming out in a week or two. Remember if you want to be assured to get all the quality World Class items that you want as soon as you get that price list get your order to me and we will reserve those items for you. If you already know what you need please do not hesitate to call or email your order into me here in Kansas. I will get your order into the system and adjust the prices when the new list comes out. Keep in mind that you can always adjust your order after the prices come out but it always works to your advantage to reserve that merchandise early.

Got some promising news on the drought this last week from a customer in Montgomery County just north of Houston. They lifted their burn ban!! This is great news and a step in the right direction but we still need rain!! Please keep praying for it!!

I will be working out of my Kansas office until Thanksgiving and will be traveling back to Texas on Monday the 28th of November for the duration of the season. If you are ready to submit your order now you can call me here in Pittsburg at 620-231-2264 ext 233 or email the order to me at brian@jakesfireworks.net After Thanksgiving I can be reached at my Texas office 903-264-2264.

Wishing y'all a happy Thanksgiving,

Brian

Online Contest

2011-11-02T13:54:00.000-05:00

Shhhh!!!

Can you keep a secret?

Don’t tell anybody, but we are working on the finishing touches for an online contest.
Keep checking back at www.jakesfireworks.com.
Top three winners will be awarded some pretty cool prize packages. Good luck!

A Message From Our CSO Mick Marietta:

2011-11-01T12:58:00.002-05:00

We are beginning a new season. With all new sales seasons come similar questions.

Will shipping be an issue this season? Will the product be produced on time? What will the exchange rate be? Will the tax situation in china change? How will the new items quality be this season? What are the New items?

A few Answers:

Shipping as always is a challenge. However, over the past couple years we have learned to adapt. Many of the steamship lines are considering dropping routes between shanghai and the States. This is due to the economy and shortages of shipments between the destinations. Although there is not a squeeze on space now it could present problems in the late season. All of us in the fireworks industry are keeping a close eye on the situation.

Product production has been good early. All of the factories are now finished with the European orders. All factories are now producing for either the U.S. market or the Domestic market. If weather conditions stay the same we are hoping for an early production year.

Exchange rate continues to keep all of us on our toes. As everyone knows it directly affects your cost and is continuously changing. Unless you have the crystal ball the best thing to do is keep a close eye on it. Make sure and contact us for our best insight and suggestions on the best way to handle the current economy and forecasts.

The tax situation in china seems to be stable and unchanging. We will keep you updated with any changes we hear about.

The New items as always with WORLD CLASS will be awesome. We are excited about the new combinations of effects. We have also been listening to all of you about what the market desires. This year will be like all others. World Class will be the best of the best.

What are the New Items? We have to keep a few Secrets.

I look forward to another great season. Talk to you soon.

- Mick

From the Texas Distribution Center

2011-10-03T11:33:00.003-05:00

It has been awhile since I have posted anything to my blog and here it is October already. Convention season is over and we have placed our order to China for the upcoming seasons. As most of you already know I spend the off seasons in Kansas at our headquarters and can be reached here at 800-766-1277 ext 233. I do travel in the off season quite a bit and almost always have access to my email so email is the best way to make sure that I get back to you in a timley manner brian@jakesfireworks.net. If you need anything at all just shoot me an email and in the meantime everyone pray for rain!!

-Brian

Convention season is upon us...

2011-08-11T00:21:00.000-05:00

Here at the main office in Pittsburg we are gearing up for all the upcoming fireworks conventions. Here are the ones we will be at this year:

PGI 2011 Convention - Aug. 6 - 12, 2011 - Fargo, ND
NFA Expo - Sept. 7 - 10, 2011 - Stevens Point, WI
2011 APA Annual Meeting & Convention - Sept. 13-17, 2011 - Seattle, WA

Stop in at our booth and say hello!! We look forward to seeing old friends and making new ones!!

Happy 4th!!

2011-07-04T10:27:00.002-05:00

Hope everyone has a happy & safe 4th of July from the Pittsburg office!

Happy June!

2011-06-05T10:23:00.002-05:00

Wow! The 4th is less than a month away. If you haven't done so already, please contact your sales rep today and place your order. We want to make sure we are able to get all the World Class fireworks you need for the season.

Nebraska Distribution Warehouse

2011-05-22T09:26:00.000-05:00

Well it has been one week since the Nebraska Shoot Off and have already received many orders. Remember to get those orders in as soon as you can to reserve your spot for those great World Class products that you like. Remember the deadline for getting orders in is May 31st. When placing your order don't forget all the new great products that you may sell: Excalibur the #1 selling artillery shell in the country! Goliath, Sir Lancelot, King Arthur, and all the 3'inch cakes just to name a few.

As always if you have any questions feel free to contact me at the Pittsburg office 620-231-2264 or email me josh.stovall@jakesfireworks.com

Thanks,

Nebraska

From the Texas Distribution Center

2011-05-21T14:13:00.002-05:00

34 days till opening day.............................................................

We have been very busy taking and filling orders. If you have not done so please get your orders in soon so you do not miss out any of the great World Class products that you love. We have also recently received our Texas Retail Permits. Please get in touch with Heather here in the Texas Office to get that process started. Her email address is heather.humphries@jakesfireworks.com or call her at the office 903-264-2264.

As always if you have any questions please do not hesitate to give me a call.
Brian

Oklahoma Warehouse Update

2011-05-18T17:14:00.001-05:00

I'm getting some more product rolling in to the warehouse this weekend. Should be able to fill some orders soon!! Submit your orders online or give me a call.

From the Texas Distribution Center

2011-05-16T16:50:00.002-05:00

39 days till opening day................................

Boy it really sneaks up on you!! We all still need to be praying for rain!! Most all of the state got a good bit of rain last week but it was hardly enough to effect this drought we are stuck in. We need more and it looks like most of the state has good chances toward the end of the week and weekend.

The new stuff is coming in daily. Please if you have not already placed your order do so soon as we are getting close to selling out of a couple items! Remember if you are not sure about your area and the drought situation still place your order and we can always adjust it before you ship or pick it up.

I have hired a new receptionist for the season and today is her first day. Her name is Heather and although she has not been in the business before she is a quick learner and I am confident that she will soon be able to help you with your questions. She will also head up the permit department so we need y'all to contact her and give her the info on which permits you are going to need.

As always if you have any questions or concerns please do not hesitate to give me a ring or send me an email.
-Brian

Nebraska Distribution Center

2011-05-16T11:16:00.000-05:00

I want to thank everyone who made it out to the Nebraska Shoot off on Saturday. It was a cold and windy day but your dedication to the fireworks industry really showed. I have heard nothing but good things, so thank you! I just want to re-itterate what I said Saturday night...the new items are a hit and miss thing right now. It looks like we will receiving some of the new items mid to late June. The items that we shot that night I have in inventory as of right now.
Remember you can put your order in over the web but only do it once and if you have any correcetions or add-ons please email or fax it to me.

Again, thank you to everyone who made it out on Saturday and made the shoot off a success! I hope you all have a great season.

Nebraska

From the Texas Distribution Center

2011-05-12T14:03:00.000-05:00

Well Folks most the State has got a least a little rain in the last couple days and as I type this storms are moving through Houston. Remember go to http://sslarcims.tame.edu/website/kbdi/viewer.htm to check what you local drought index is. they update this map every evening to reflect the days rain.
Despite the rain here in Athens we are still under a burn ban and the county fire marshal asked that we not have our demo. In respect for the fire marshals office we are going to wait till next year to have a demo. Hopefully the rain will continue falling in the coming weeks and we will all have a great season.
I am taking a bunch of orders everyday. I recommend that even if you are not sure what the season will bring that you place your order as if it will be a great one. I f it dries out later and you need to change your order we would gladly make any changes that you might want. If you do not place your order you run the risk of some of the items that you want being sold out.
I am looking forward to a great season and as always if you need anything or have any questions please do not hesitate to give me a call or drop me an email.
Brian

From the Texas Distribution Center

2011-05-04T09:38:00.003-05:00

Well May is here and another fireworks season is just around the corner. North Texas received a good deal of rain the last week. In looking at the KBDI drought index for Texas it looks like a line from Gainesville to Mineral Wells and on to Hillsboro and East to the Louisiana line all look good. The rest of the State desperately needs rain. To check the KBDI Drought index in your area you can go to http://sslarcims.tamu.edu/website/kbdi/viewer.htm I have had a lot of phone calls from concerned customers wondering what to do. They want to wait to take their product until they know if they have rain. I totally agree however I would recommend placing your order like it is going to be a great year now but scheduling a delivery date that is closer to the season. By placing your order now you are virtually guaranteeing that you will get the product you want. If it turns out that we do not get rain before the season you can always adjust your order or even cancel it before the season starts. There are still 51 days till opening day so there is a lot of time for rain, we just need to pray for it!

As always please email or call if there is anything I can help you with.

-Brian

From the Texas Distribution Center

2011-04-29T17:08:00.002-05:00

DEMO
Well within a couple of days of calling the April 30th Demo off we did get a little rain here in Athens. It was enough for a couple days however with the hot day and the strong winds we have once again started to dry back out. We need to pray for rain! I want to thank everyone I spoke to about the demo, everyone seemed to think it was the best idea considering the dry conditions.

GARAGE SALE
We will still be having the annual garage sale here in Texas. If you would like a list of what we have at reduced prices just shoot me an email at brian@jakesfireworks.net and I will reply with a copy of the list and prices. Since we are not having the demo this weekend we are going to allow you to pick this merchandise up with your order or have it shipped with your order. Please note to get the special prices you must pay for the merchandise upon taking delivery of the product. This merchandise will be ordered quickly so please get your orders in soon.

PRICES
The 2011 Summer Price Packets went out this last weekend and if you have not received it please give me a call or shoot me an email and I will make sure we had the correct address and get another one to you in the mail.

TEXAS OFFICE
I am now in Texas for the duration of the season. To get a hold of me call 903-264-2264 that is the office number and my cell does not get very good reception in the office so it can sometime take me walking outside with my phone to receive any messages. I will be hiring a new receptionist in the coming days I hope I can find one that is helpful at keeping me organized!

Looking forward to rain and another great season,
Brian

Great weather for Kentucky demo

2011-04-27T15:02:00.001-05:00

Although it's raining cats and dogs right now, the weather is predicted to be absolutely beautiful for our demo in Russellville, KY this Saturday. If you haven't already RSVPed, please call us today. We would love to see you there! 270-726-8000.

SC Demo Weekend

2011-04-27T11:56:00.002-05:00

As some of you have probably already seen, the list of items being offered at our garage sale this weekend have been posted to the website. As posted the hours for the garage sale and order pickups will be on Saturday from 9am to 4pm and Sunday from 9am to 1 pm. Please plan accordingly.
The demo which is being held in Aiken, SC at the county fairgrounds will be on Saturday only. We will open the facility at 2pm on Saturday, where we will have a display table set up with most of the items we carry, including new items, available so everyone can see our product line. We will have dinner around 6 pm, and then begin the product demos around 8pm. Looking forward to seeing everyone this weekend, and trust me you guys will not be disappointed as we will be shooting over 65 new items. To finish off the night we will have a great finale show showcasing a great deal of items from the World Class line. Safe travels and please give us a shout with any questions or concerns.

Indiana Shoot-Off

2011-04-22T09:41:00.001-05:00

We would like to remind everyone that the Indiana shoot-off will be on Saturday, April 30. Please contact Jared Hicks at 574-296-7100 for more information.

From the Texas Distribution Center

2011-04-21T10:01:00.006-05:00

I hope this finds everyone doing well. As you may have seen or heard we have decided to cancel the 2011 product demo at our Texas facility. Due to the extremely dry situation and with all the wildfires that are currently going on throughout the state we felt that at this time the prudent thing to do would be to cancel the demo. We held off as long as we could but at the same time wanted to give all of our customers that would be traveling in for the demo time to cancel hotel rooms and change their plans. If we do receive some rain in the near future we may try and reschedule to the weekend of May 14th. I will keep you posted on this blog as time goes on and let you'all know. I am going to try to call each person that has RSVPed to inform this of the decision today. If you have any questions or concerns please do not hesitate to shoot me an email at brian@jakesfireworks.net or call me in the corporate offices at 620-231-2264 ext 233
Thanks for your continued support and pray for rain!
Brian Hamilton

Shoot Off Success

2011-04-18T11:58:00.000-05:00

The first of the Shoot Offs has come and gone and it was a great success! We had a lot of people come out for it and had some good reviews! I had the chance to see some old customers as well as meet some new ones. We had an exciting Demo of new items that we had the chance to see for the first time and heard a lot of good reviews on all of the new items! Looking forward to the upcoming Shoot Offs!

THANK YOU

2011-04-18T11:21:00.003-05:00

I want to thank everyone who came to the Pittsburg shoot off. I know several of you traveled far and wide. Hope you enjoyed the show. We loved having you!! I would also love to hear what some of your favorite new cakes were this year. Everyone always ask me my fav's & I would love to hear yours. Again thanks for taking the time to come & visit. I wish everyone a GRAET season. If you need anything please call or email.

From the Texas Distribution Center

2011-04-18T11:16:00.003-05:00

I hope all is well with everyone. I just wanted to share a picture sent in by one of my customers, Sean McMahon, of a class C show that he put on for a wedding last month. Thanks for the picture Sean!

2011 Shootoff

2011-04-17T12:40:00.002-05:00

I want to thank everyone for coming to the 2011 Product Demo and Convention in Pittsburg this weekend. It was an amazing turnout. Do not forget to get your sales orders started soon on those great new items to ensure that you have your names on them for this season. I also want to thank Staci Goodson in our office here for doing an amazing job of getting it all together. She works tireously to make sure that every detail in thought of so the weekend could run as smoothly as possible. Job well Done! Wishing everyone a safe and prosperous 4th of July. Brian Hamilton

New Items

2011-04-15T11:48:00.002-05:00

New items have been added to the website. Take a minute and check them out. Plenty of great additions to the World Class lineup. We will be shooting most of the new items for the first time on Saturday night, so check back next week as we will be talking about some of our new favorites.

From the Texas Distribution Center

2011-04-12T11:23:00.002-05:00

We are finalizing our summer prices as we speak and they should be going into the mail soon. If you want to pick up an order on the demo weekend, please submit your order to me by Wednesday of the shoot in order for the warehouse staff to have the order pulled and ready for you when you arrive. As you can imagine there will be a ton of people at the warehouse on both Friday and Saturday of the shoot so this will help to make things run as smoothly as possible. You can add any garage sale items you may want at the time that you pick your initial order up. If you pick an order up you can leave your trailer in the yard at the warehouse and we will lock the gates up every night so they will be secure and you will not have to worry about hauling your trailer around to the different locations and hotels.

Looking forward to seeing y'all......................Pray for Rain!!

-Brian

Shoot-off Favorites

2011-04-08T11:45:00.002-05:00

What's your favorite activity at the shoot-off? Since this is my first time, help me not miss out on anything!!!

First Timer!!

2011-04-08T11:39:00.002-05:00

First, off I want to thank the the Jake's staff and customers for the warm welcome into the fireworks "family". Secondly, this will be my first shoot-off so I'm very excited. I look forward to meeting all the new and current customers that will be attending.

Nebraska Shoot Off

2011-04-08T11:33:00.002-05:00

First off I would like to thank everyone for their kind words and support since I have been promoted. I will strive to continue the customer service that Mark had given you in the past and I look forward to this upcoming season.

As we approach this season just a reminder that if you have not RSVP to our Nebraska shoot off please do so. You have two options on how to do this. First, you can go to our website, jakesfireworks.com and register online or give myself a call here at the Pittsburg office toll free 800-766-1277. As many of you already know Nebraska has opened up and is full boar! This means many new products that were not available to you in the years past. Most, if not all of those items will be shot at our shoot off.

The new product is starting to trickle in and from what I have seen so far it is an exceptional batch of new product. Everything from inexpensive 200 gram cakes and novelties to 3" cakes. There are going to be around 50 new items this year.

Many have already inquired about this years price sheets. We hope to have those done here within the next two weeks. Once we get them finalized I will get those out right away.

One thing to keep in mind as well: we have already received five containers in so far and our last two have already shipped from China. So for some you early birds we can get your order out sooner rather than later.

Hope all is well and a great season is right around the corner! See you all at the Shoot Off!

Josh

Attention Early Birds

2011-04-08T08:52:00.002-05:00

Kentucky Warehouse has tons of product in stock now. If you would like to place your order and receive it before the big rush, please contact me today. cindy@jakesfireworks.com or 1-800-766-1277. I am looking forward to seeing you all at the Kentucky Warehouse Demo on April 30th.

Beautiful Weather!

2011-04-08T08:38:00.002-05:00

I just checked the weather forecast for the Kansas shoot-off next weekend. Looks like it should be in the high 60's and sunny. If you haven't RSVPed yet - give us a call today.

From the Texas Distribution Center

2011-04-07T16:16:00.002-05:00

The RSVP's have rolled in for the upcoming demo on April 30th and it looks like it is going to be our biggest event to date in Texas. If you want to come and have not yet RSVPed please give me a call in our corporate offices @ 800-766-1277 ext 233 or shoot me an email so I can get the food and everything finalized. -Brian

2011 Shoot-off! RSVP NOW

2011-04-06T17:21:00.002-05:00

Come to our shoot-offs to see the must advanced and exciting fireworks products in the country from the LARGEST fireworks importer in the nation!

2011 Fireworks Season!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

2011-04-06T17:18:00.002-05:00

We would like to thank all of our current customers and welcome any new customers this season. As usual, our success depends on you, and our great ideas come from you! We encourage any and all comments.

2011-04-05T15:26:00.001-05:00

Hi everyone, We are ramping up for the 2011 Kansas shootoff. There are going to be some new & exciting things this year. It is not to late to RSVP. Hope to see you there!

From the Texas Distrubution Center

2011-04-04T14:31:00.003-05:00

Well another season is upon us, time goes by so fast. In Texas we are unloading product everyday and have already started shipping out orders to the early birds. I should have a list of the items that we are going to put in the garage sale at the Texas Demo sometime next week. They are working on the summer pricing and trying to finalize it. I look for the pricing to be done soon and we will get them in the mail to you as soon as we get them finished. If you have not RSVP ed for the Demos be it the Kansas one on the 16th or the Athens one on the 30th. Please do so soon so we can finalize the numbers and be prepared. I look forward to another great summer season and look forward to seeing y'all at the Demos. -Brian

From the Texas Distribution Center

2011-03-15T09:55:00.004-05:00

I hope that everyone is doing well and gearing up for another great season. I have started hearing from some customers inquiring as to when the new prices will be out for the summer season. We have just started figuring and hope to have them done sometime in mid April. The new product is starting to trickle in and from what I have seen so far it is an exceptional batch of new product. Everything from inexpensive 200 gram cakes and novelties to 3" cakes. There are going to be around 50 new items this year.
I have finalized all the preparations for the 2011 Demo in Athens. The Dinner will be at the Texas Freshwater Fisheries Center and the product demo will be in the same place it was last year as well. You should have received a save the date card a month or so ago as well as a invitation in the last week to 10 days with all the info on it. The invitation has the code to RSVP for the demo on it. If you did not get one please give myself or Staci a call in our corporate offices in Pittsburg and you can RSVP by phone 800-766-1277. We will be having the annual garage sale on the day of the Demo in Athens. This will be a strictly cash and carry deal, which means to get the special pricing you must pay for it and take it on that day. We do this to help free up some space in the warehouse, so we can't hold it for you if you pay untill you ship your order in June, it just defeats the purpose. I should have a list with quantites and prices ready around the first part of April. Again it is a first come first serve so I'm sorry however can not reserve any of this merchandise, No Exceptions.
As far as product availability goes we have received almost 70% of our total order in so far this year which is way ahead of schedule from last year. We are literally busting at the seams in the warehouse and are ready for you early birds to start placing and picking up your orders! Production of the artillery shells are also in progress and we are building our stock up on all the best sellers like Excalibur, Goliath, Zeus and all the other great World Class artillery shell kits.
Another season is just around the corner.................
--Brian

New Product Videos

2011-03-07T00:04:00.000-06:00

New product videos are on the way! Our videographer has been hard at work shooting and editing new product videos to give you eye popping color and great sound. We'll post more about it when we've wrapped up all the editing.

Help Us Keep Your Records Current!

2011-03-07T00:02:00.001-06:00

We are currently in the process of updating our customer records. In order to help expedite your order for this year call or email your sales rep to verify your address, phone number, shipping address, and email address, so we will have all the information updated and ready to go.

The Year of the Rabbit

2011-02-09T20:21:00.000-06:00

We are fighting bitter cold temperatures and lots of snow in Pittsburg. It has given us lots of time to be inside and come up with ideas for this year’s shoot-off. However we are still looking for seminar idea’s and T-shirt idea’s. If you have any idea’s please let us know.

The fireworks industry is in a stand still right now due to the Chinese new year’s celebration. However the dollar exchange to the RMB is not standing still. The dollar is still losing value which costs us all more money. I encourage everyone who has purchased containers from china to keep a close eye on this and contact Jake’s about your best solution.

We are furiously working on EX Numbers for new items. I am excited to say that we are starting to get EX Numbers for some of this year’s new items. I highly suggest anyone that does not understand the importance of these numbers to contact your sales rep.

As always for the BEST PRODUCT and BEST PRICES give us a call.

- Mick

2011-01-19T18:34:00.000-06:00

The weather made the 2010/2011 New Years season a rough start for many. This year we saw burn bans in Florida, tornadoes in Arkansas and Mississippi, and rain throughout much of Louisiana, Mississippi, and Alabama. As we all know weather is a fierce competitor for our industry. Hopefully the weather did not affect your business. I sincerely hope that everyone had a safe and prosperous season.

We are busy planning the 2011 Shoot Off events. Please check this page for more information. We are still looking for seminar and tradeshow ideas. Please respond with anything that can help you make your business more successful. I look forward to hearing your ideas.

--
Mick Marietta
mick@jakesfireworks.com

2011 Shoot Off Seminars

2011-01-09T18:44:00.000-06:00

It’s never too early to begin planning for the Jake’s spring shoot-off’s. We’d like to encourage some dialog about what our customers would like to have as seminars at our Pittsburg, KS shoot-off. We can discuss this as a sales staff until we’re blue in the face but if it is not relevant to addressing real concerns of our customers then it is not beneficial for anyone.

So give us some feedback if you have any suggestions, let us know what topics you’d like to hear about in more detail or if you have concerns you’d like us to research and offer a take on. We place a very high value on you, our customer, and want to be the type of distributor that is helping you to grow your business. We appreciate and look forward to your feedback.

Send your feedback to jeremy.mohney@jakesfireworks.net.

Fireworks music

2010-12-13T15:29:00.002-06:00

If anyone is looking for recent fireworks music, there is a song out right now by Katy Perry titled "Firework". HAPPY HOLIDAYS!!

From the Texas Distribution Center

2010-12-07T16:50:00.002-06:00

Just a quick update with what is going on here at Jakes' in Athens. We are unloading a ton of merchandise every day and shipping a ton out everyday. If you have not placed your order yet please do so soon. We Open in 13 days.................

Close-outs

2010-12-02T09:45:00.002-06:00

The Indiana Distribution Center is offering Winter close-outs on selected items. Please contact me via email (jaredhicks@jakesfireworks.net) to receive this special close-out list.

From the Texas Distribution Center

2010-12-01T18:14:00.003-06:00

Well I noticed on the Jakes home page that Mick Marietta sent his first Tweet................The world may be coming to an end. haha.

The Season is here folks! We are unloading 3-4 containers a day and have already started shipping! Get those order to me soon, as I am taking orders all the time, and as you all know the product is reserved based on when you get your order in and not when you pick it up. I hope that everyone had a great Thanksgiving and that we all have a great Fireworks Sales Season!! As always call if you have any questions or concerns.

--Brian

Holiday Rush

2010-12-01T15:45:00.002-06:00

We all hope that you enjoyed your family and friends at Thanksgiving. It is now time to get busy for those of you with a winter season. The winter price sheets were mailed out a couple of weeks ago and product is arriving on a daily bases to our distribution centers. If you have not talked to one of our friendly sales reps about your winter order, we encourage you do to so quickly to ensure that you get the items that you need.

As the new year approaches, we as very excited to what the 2011 seasons will bring. Keep posted so you can learn about all the new items and surprises Jake's will have for you this upcoming year.

We hope everyone has a Merry Christmas and a profitable New Years!

Happy Holidays

2010-12-01T15:19:00.001-06:00

Hi Everyone,
Just wanted to say hope you have a happy holiday season. For those of you who have a holiday selling season I hope it is prosperous too. If you need anything we are here for you.
Staci

From the Texas Distribution Center

2010-10-28T14:22:00.005-05:00

It has been awhile since I have updated you'all so I figured as the season quickly approaches I would update you on the goings on since the season. In talking with most of my customers throughout the south it seems as though it was a pretty good season.......A long time coming. There were a few areas that did get rain on the 4th but I don't think that anyone really would complain and most everyone is saying that they had an average or above average season. Speaking of rain it would be a good time to start praying for some throughout the region. It is pretty dry throughout Texas and Louisiana but we still have plenty of time for the fall rains to come. Our Winter prices are being finalized as we speak and should hopefully be in the mail to you'all in the very near future. I will be in and out of the office this next month quite a bit so if you need to get a hold of me email would be the best (brian@jakesfireworks.net) or you can call the office in Texas and leave a message for Brody and he will help you. I will be in the Texas office for the upcoming season the Tuesday after the Thanksgiving Holiday through the end of the New Years season. I wish you'all the best in the upcoming season and as always if you need anything or have any questions please do not hesitate to drop me a line.

-Brian Hamilton

Planning ahead

2010-10-19T16:12:00.003-05:00

The time is here to start thinking about your holiday fireworks sales season.

If you are planning to sell fireworks for the holidays, please get in touch with one of our helpful representatives to start planning your order and delivery now.

We have a good supply of a lot of the items that were new this year, especially in the 500 gram cakes. Excalibur should also be in good supply so make sure you order plenty of the number one selling artillery shell.

NFA 2010...........

2010-09-14T14:20:00.002-05:00

We're back in the offices from the NFA in Springfield, MO and the repetitive theme during our follow-up discussions has been.....WOW! What a show, from the daily seminars, to the registration staff, the product demos each night and their outstanding pyro crew, the increased membership attendance and of course the NFA board, we were greatly impressed with the organization and level of professionalism presented by all involved. Thank you so much for giving us the opportunity to be a part of such an amazing affiliation. And, as always, if you have any comments or suggestions for Jake's Fireworks to better serve you, please don't hesitate to let us know. Looking forward to next year..........

Preparing for NFA 2010

2010-08-19T11:24:00.004-05:00

Hi everyone,
I am excited to say we are gearing up for the upcoming NFA tradeshow in September. We are ready to see some existing customers & hopefully meet some new friends. Hope to see you there & see what is in store for next year.

--Staci

From the Texas Distribution Center`

2010-06-28T14:00:00.004-05:00

Well the season is finally here. Initial reports from the vendors across the state are that sales are better than they have been in a couple years. It seems as though most everyone got rain in the last couple of weeks and that has lead to higher sales numbers. If everyone would say a prayer, or step outside and blow to the south, and keep Tropical Storm Alex from coming ashore in South Texas that would be greatly appriciated! I wish everyone the best in the season and if you need anything more from us please let me know.
Thanks for the business!!
Brian Hamilton

Ghost Rider - 500 Gram Cake of the Day

2010-06-25T16:10:00.003-05:00

Today's 500 gram cake of the day is the awesome World Class Ghost Rider. This 9-shot beauty features purple glitter mines with purple chrysanthemum breaks, silver glitter mines with willow breaks and green mines up to green chrysanthemums with crackling stars. You can watch the performance video on our Youtube channel here or for more details check out the item page here.

From the Texas Distribution Center

2010-06-11T20:12:00.002-05:00

We are busy busy busy so I'm going to keep it brief. We are shipping and doing customer pickups as fast as we can. Looks like most of East Texas got a ton of rain yesterday. Here at the warehouse we picked up over 6 inches and parts of our county got in excess of 10 inches. This kind of slowed our productivity down a bit yesterday but we are still running on schedule. If you have not yet scheduled a pickup time or a delivery date please do so soon. We are open 7 days a week and if you can't get me on the phone just shoot me an email. I try to answer 3-4 emails in between phone calls. Only 13 more days till opening day here in Texas.................

Crazy for fireworks

2010-06-09T18:19:00.002-05:00

Crazy. That seems to be the theme for June. We are pulling and shipping orders out at lightning speed, often working into the wee hours of the morning. Customers seem more excited about fireworks this season than ever before. Our existing product has the consistant quality our customers expect and the new items offer beautiful vibrant colors. Wishing you all a safe and sucessful season!

Touchscreen App now available on jakesfireworks.com

2010-06-06T16:29:00.006-05:00

It's no secret that in today's fireworks business, having product demonstration videos in your stores is a key to selling more merchandise. Its easy to forget that a lot of people only do this once or twice a year, and for them, remembering effect styles doesn't come as naturally as it does for us. We here at Jake's have tried to make this as easy as possible by supplying you with tons of product videos on our website, www.jakesfireworks.com, in many different formats to suit all needs. Now we are bringing you a new tool.
If you point your web browser to www.jakesfireworks.com/touch you will see a Flash-based VOD (Video on Demand) interface for displaying product demo videos to your customers. All you need to run this is a computer with internet access and a web browser with flash installed. Pair this program with a simple touchscreen monitor and run your browser in full screen mode and voila! Fully functional touch-screen kiosk for your store. We hope this proves to be a useful tool for you.
Enjoy!
-Ben

Another Satisfied Customer.......

2010-06-06T15:44:00.002-05:00

I had a great email from a new customer and wanted to share his story with you. This comes from Brenton in KS.

" Mark, Words can't even describe how thankful I am for being able to do business with such a great company! I have never been to a product demo where I was treated so well, and your customer service is second to none. We got our product in today, and might I say this is the first time that I have received everything that I ordered from a company! I have done business with several other companies in the past years but none of them have been able to grant the respect and customer service that I received while working with you guys. I can guarantee a repeat customer for years to come!"

From the Texas Distribution Center

2010-06-05T09:11:00.012-05:00

Just want to give you'all an update on what is going on in Texas. There were some good showers and rain that moved through most of Texas this last week but we still need more. As of this morning there were 5 counties that were above the 575 KBDI threshold Presidio,Ward and Winkler in West Texas and Rusk and Gregg in East Texas. You can go to the following web addresses to keep yourselves abreast of the latest info. http://webgis.tamu.edu/tfs/kbdi_daily/dryctif.png for counties over the 575 mean or http://twc.tamu.edu/InteractiveMaps/KBDI.aspx for your counties KBDI. June 15th is fast approaching and is the last day that by Texas law counties over the 575 KBDI mean can enact stick rocket and missile bans if they vote to. So let's all continue to keep praying for more rain.
With that out of the way starting tomorrow the last of the new items will be arriving here. We are unloading 2 or 3 containers a day starting Sunday through Wednesday. So we should be good. The trucking lanes are filling quickly so if you have not yet scheduled a day to receive your orders please do so quickly. We are open 7 days a week so please give me a call at the office 903-264-2264 and we will get your orders to you. I hope all is well with everyone and wish everyone a very prosperous 4th of July season! The season opens in 19 days..........
Brian

2010-05-29T11:41:00.000-05:00

The premier artillery shell in fireworks, our 24-shot World Class Excalibur Artillery Shell, has been named in June's 'Men's Journal' magazine as a necessity for a perfect summer. The article, "Do Summer Right" outlines everything from how to throw a backyard bbq, to taking a cross-country road trip, to finding that perfect summer swimming hole, and, of course, putting on your own fireworks displays. For that, Excalibur is a must have. The June/July issue of Men's Journal is available in stores now. You can also check out their website at www.mensjournal.com

From the Texas Distribution Center

2010-05-27T11:48:00.007-05:00

Just an update on what is going on here at Jake's in Texas. It's hot, really hot. Some of East Texas and Western Louisiana got rain yesterday however the southeast portion of Texas and Southern Louisiana are drying out quick. As of this morning there were 3 counties in Texas with KBDI means over the 575 threshold (Jasper, Newton, and Orange) We still have time for rain and we all need to pray for it as the June 15th deadline for banning stick rockets and missiles in Texas is right around the corner. I heard yesterday that Ector county in West Texas issued a missile and rocket ban even though the KBDI mean index was 347.......... If you hear of any of the counties around you'all be sure and let me know and I will pass it along. As of today this is the only one that I have heard of.
I have had many many many complements on the new website. Everyone should thank Ben Turner and his staff for an absolutely wonderful job. It was over a year in the making with countless hours spent staring at computer screens. So job well done! If there is anything that you would like added to the site or anything that you can think of that would help make the site better be sure and shoot us an email or just comment on this blog and we will do our best to get it done.
Order shipping is in full swing here with customers wanting to use this Memorial Day Weekend to get their orders divided up and ready to go to the stands. If you have not already placed your orders remember the sooner you get it to me the better chance you have of getting everything that you want. If there is anything that you would like for me to talk about send me an email to brian@jakesfireworks.net or just add a comment to the end of this blog.
I wish everyone a safe and happy holiday weekend and I'll continue to keep you posted here on the blog from time to time.
-- Brian

From the desk of the sales manager...

2010-05-26T17:40:00.002-05:00

Memorial Day Weekend is rapidly approaching and the “Official Start” of the 2010 Fireworks Season will soon be upon us. Our distribution centers located in KS, OK, TX, IN, KY and SC continue to receive inventory on a daily basis. We have shipped orders to all corners of the US this week. It is truly amazing to talk with people from all over the country who have different laws, types of locations (stands, trailers, tents and buildings) and different needs when it comes to our products. Additionally, our industry has some of the most innovative and creative business men and women on the planet.

We continue to work with our vendor and suppliers to deliver the highest performing consumer grade products currently being produced. However, we always welcome new ideas or suggestions for new products. We are already ordering for the 2011 season and would like for you, our customers to tell us what types of fireworks or effects of fireworks you would like to see us develop and manufacture.

The Zeus Is Loose!

2010-05-26T10:21:00.003-05:00

We are excited to add a brand new artillery shell kit to our line-up this year. Check out the brand new Zeus. It has 24 assorted shells with 36 different breaks. The neon wrap on the shells is definitely eye catching. Packed 2/24, it's a great addition to our already impressive family of artillery shells.

Shipping Time

2010-05-24T08:53:00.002-05:00

As orders continue to roll in we are also seeing orders rolling out in semi trailers. If you think you are ready to take your order, please contact your shipping warehouse to get the process started. As the season gets closer the trucking lanes get more congested. It is better to have it early, giving you more time to sort and price it.

Those of you who have not ordered it is still not too late. Give your favorite sales person a call and get your order placed. May is almost over and the reality of June will be upon us. Don't be caught off guard.

I hope everyone enjoys the upcoming Memorial weekend. Have a safe and fun holiday!

From the Texas Distribution Center

2010-05-21T12:22:00.004-05:00

Just a update on what has been going on down in the Great State of Texas.
We have more fireworks in stock right now than I have ever had!! With the exception of just a few of the new items we are ready to start shipping your orders when you are ready to recieve them. This year could be that year when you get all your stuff in early and are ready to go when the season starts!
Our production line is up and running full blast. We have been assembling Excaliburs, Sir Lancelots, King Arthurs, Goliaths, United We Stands, Merlins and Trilogys. The new Zeus artillery and Armageddon assortments are on tap to be built the first of next week.
All in all it looks to be a great season. Most of the state got some significant rainfall in the last couple of days and in the long range forcast it looks like there are good chances all of over the state on Memorial day weekend. The San Antonio and Austin areas look better now than they have looked in a few years. Lets keep our fingers crossed. I just checked the KBDI indexs for the state and it looks good. There are no averages that were above the 500 mark so a few more good rains and we are home free.
We are working 7 days a week so please do not hesitate to give me a call or drop me an email if you have any questions at anytime.
Looking forward to a great season,
Brian

2010-05-21T09:42:00.001-05:00

Orders are coming in & going out left and right. Containers just keep coming as well. Busy busy time.
Also just a reminder that the Arkansas Memorial weekend pick up deadline is today at 5pm so get those orders in.

Indiana close outs

2010-05-19T18:49:00.001-05:00

The Indiana distribution center is offering close-outs on War Dance, Can You Handle It, and Megatron. Give us a call or shoot us an email for details.

July 4th upon us

2010-05-19T18:40:00.002-05:00

As we get ready to close out another May, I can't help but to think how close we are to the 4th of July. It seems crazy that we have spent the entire year preparing to do the bulk of our sales in such a short period of time. We are prepared for a big year this year and are excited about the possiblities!!

A Guide to Stacking Roman Candles

2010-05-14T16:30:00.001-05:00

Reflections On 15 Years in the Fireworks Business

Today, as I sat at my desk troubleshooting complex website problems while staring at a computer monitor larger than the TV that occupied in my parent's living room for most of my childhood, it suddenly dawned on me how far Jake's has come in the time I have spent with the company. Next month, amid the hustle and bustle of the summer heat and the retail season, I will turn 30 years old. Pomp and circumstance aside, this conjures the realization that this will be the 15th birthday I've spent among the endless rows of One Bad Mothers and Excaliburs. 15 years since that first fateful summer adventure. 15 years of treasured memories and countless friendships. Wow...Where has the time gone. Not normally one for sentiment, I am prompted to reflect here today on a life truly defined by fireworks, by the fireworks industry, and the people who make who make it great.

My trip down memory lane started as most do... in a shoebox. A great big giant shoebox filled with pictures, like the Polaroids snapped below. The one on the right is of the first tray assortments that we ever made on our own. The one on the left is of Jake's son, Jacob, hard at work on the night shift :)

Digging deeper still, I found some great shots the pre-date even my time at the company. Here is the original sign that sat out front of the 4th Street offices. This sign remains a fixture of Lonestar Corner even today, though it is slightly faded these days.

I can also remember when this rounded out the entire product line:

Here is a great shot of Jake years ago inspecting the production of W515B artillery shells:

I have a ton of great photos from past China trips that I plan on posting to main website as soon as I get them scanned in. Be sure to watch www.jakesfireworks.com for updates.

That's really just a snapshot of the memories that I have from this place. I could go on and on about summers on the tent crew & Decembers in Louisiana, but really, none of that matters. In the end what matters matters most is the people. I have been fortunate to spend 15 years of my life working for a company that embodies the true definition of a family business. In that time I have watched the company grow from a small one building shop to a dominant world-wide force in consumer fireworks. Yet on any given day you can still find John Marietta delivering fireworks in a Semi, you can still find Jake pouring over the tedious details of every customer's order, still find Mick somewhere in the warehouse with a cell phone glued to his ear and a case of something new and exciting in tow. At Jake's we care. We care about the quality of our products and we care about the quality of service we provide to our customers. These are the values that the Marietta's carry with them and instill in their employees every day.

I hope you have enjoyed my little trip through history no matter how brief it has been. I hope you enjoy the new jakesfireworks.com. We have put an enormous amount of effort into bringing you, the customer, yet another level of world-class service with it. Have a great fireworks season!

-Ben

Amazing New Lanterns

2010-05-12T15:09:00.002-05:00

Check out our unbelievable deal on colored Sky Lanterns.

They can be sold all year long.

Available in an assorted case with: Lime Green; Orange; Blue; Purple; Red and Yellow.

So what do you do the rest of the year?

2010-05-11T12:07:00.007-05:00

Anyone who works in the fireworks business has been asked this question. When I started at Jake's last Fall, I would have asked the same thing. Then I got thrown into the fire of the Winter season. I have never again wondered what we do the rest of the year.

In my posts, I hope to share what this business looks like through the eyes of someone new to the industry. I want to share the things that I find amusing, strange and downright odd.

Back to the question of what do you do the rest of the year. Well, in addition to the regular season that most people think of when they think of fireworks, we of course have a winter season in the Southern states. This was something that I would have never thought about since I have always lived places where you would be crazy to want to to be outside shooting fireworks on New Years Eve.

Of course the winter season is not as large as the Summer (I am assuming, but I think I am safe here) but it is still big enough that it takes a lot of time and manpower to make it happen. I also went and worked in a retail store in Louisiana for a week. This was an excellent learning experience for me as I not only learned about the product but more importantly I learned about our end customer. I think a lot of people in a fireworks store or stand fall in to two classes, the true pyro who just loves fireworks and then the person who is there buying out of obligation because they are going somewhere where everyone is bringing fireworks.

The true pyros are the guys who come in with a list of all their favorites from the last year and know exactly what they want. They probably taught me more in that week than anything else. The people who don't know anything were the ones who made me then apply that knowledge to be able to truly help them find something not only in their price range but also that would be impressive at the party to which they were headed. Luckily, with World Class and Boomer brands, we have great products in all price ranges.

One of the hardest questions to answer is what do you like. Fireworks are one of those things that everyone has an opinion on and everyone's opinion is right. It's about what you like. Some people would shoot artillery shells all night, while other people like fountains. For some Saturn Missile Batteries are a vital part of any shoot while for others there is an intense dislike for them.

For me, I like the 500 gram cakes and I like the ones that have a lot going on in terms of effects. For that reason I dont think you can ever go wrong with Loyal To None

I think one of the most surprising things to me so far is the sheer number of novelty items that exist. I know these are important for the kids but when I was a kid we always got sparklers and firecrackers and maybe a couple of tanks if we were lucky. Now you could keep the kids busy all day with the large variety of items available. I absolutely love the new Chicken Blowing Balloon. Its a goofy little thing that everyone loves because it is different. And as a father of a 7 year old boy, I know he will like it.

And that, more than anything, answers the question of what we do the rest of the year. Product development and testing, trips to the factories in China, all the work of manufacturing and importing is a year round endeavor. In order to have the best product in the warehouse and on the shelves for next season you have to start working on it a year ahead of time. That is what truly makes us World Class.

Off and Running!

2010-05-10T11:05:00.002-05:00

We hope that everyone enjoyed Mother's Day and got to spend some quality time with the family. With that being said, the official fireworks season is underway.

By the looks of the orders coming in it is obvious that you all are lovin' the new products, as well as the items from the past, we displayed at the shoot offs this season. We encourage you to get your orders in as soon as you can. Contact your salesman with any questions that you may have.

We would also like to thank all you that have commented on our new website. We are very excited about all the possibilities that it allows. Be sure to check it daily to see the "Minutes with Mick" and our daily blogs.

Good luck to all this season and we look forward to assisting you with your fireworks needs.

Patriotic Truck

2010-05-09T12:13:00.002-05:00

Hey everyone, just wanted to share some amazing pics I snapped of a semi tractor-trailer that was picking up at our Pittsburg, KS facility the other day. Every inch of this truck has been customized right down to the most meticulous of details. The patriotic design makes you proud to be an American, and it really gets all of us here at Jake's fired up about the 4th of July! You can check out the pics over on our website at http://www.jakesfireworks.com/usa-truck. I hope you enjoy!

-Ben

New U.S.A. Package!

2010-05-08T16:23:00.008-05:00

The new U.S.A assortments just came in with the 5 layer cardboard design instead of the three layer used in the past. We also changed from a post on one side to having a post on both sides. This gives the new box over double the strength. The bottom also has a new design to keep items from smashing during display. The back of the box is also new with extra warnings.

More new product developments to come.

--Jake Marrietta

From the desk of the sales manager...

2010-05-07T12:20:00.001-05:00

Tomorrow concludes the 2010 Jakes’ Fireworks Shoot-Offs. Our final Shoot-Off will be held in Russellville, KY tomorrow May 8th. We have had over 1500 attendees at our Shoot-Offs this year in KS, SC, TX and IN. The overwhelming response from our attendees has been “Best new items they have seen in years”. Another customer sent an email which stated “Jake’s Fireworks surpassed the competition this year in New Product Development Effects and Colors”. We appreciate the compliments and will continue to work in China and the US to ensure we bring the most innovative, highest quality and top performing products to our wholesale and retail customers.

This week our warehouse crews have been busy shipping Excalibur - the #1 Canister Artillery Shell in the World, Goliath, Zeus, United We Stand and MOAB. Our staff in China has visited several factories and vendors working on our 2011 Product Line-Up. Our retail team has been finalizing groups and organizations to operate our tents, stands and buildings for the 2010 Retail Season. Ben Turner and his IT staff continue to develop, edit and produce materials for our website. Please let us know of any suggestions or additional content you would like on our website.

In closing we hope all of you have a great weekend and especially would like to wish all the Moms out there a very Happy Mother’s Day on Sunday.

Internet ordering is optional

2010-05-07T12:09:00.005-05:00

Hi everyone,

Just a reminder that we would still love for you to call, fax or email your orders. You do not have to order online. It is just a tool for our more technology driven customers. We will take your orders any way you prefer to give them.