SOMERSWORTH, N.H. — The conventional wisdom is that Maine’s new law legalizing consumer fireworks would hurt New Hampshire fireworks stores because Mainers would no longer have to travel out of state to buy their missiles, Roman candles and exploding aerial displays.
But at Hilltop Fireworks, located a couple of miles from the Maine border, the owners say they’ve had more Maine customers in the days leading up to the Fourth of the July than in previous years. The company’s website says, “We welcome new customers from Maine.”
With fireworks now legal, Mainers who never gave much thought to fireworks or didn’t buy them because they were illegal are now opening their wallets.
One of them, 46-year-old Amy Harper of South Berwick, had never bought fireworks before Monday. That’s when she and her 19-year-old son picked up an assortment of small fireworks to set off for a July Fourth get-together with family and friends.
“Now we can have a Fourth of July celebration,” she said as she examined the store’s colorful selection of pyrotechnics. “If we can have a little fun and have it be legal, that’s perfect.”
This Independence Day is the first since 1949 that fireworks have been legal in Maine. Back then, fireworks were outlawed after some legislators moved to end the noisy outbursts and injuries associated with fireworks, especially around the Fourth of July.
Since fireworks again became legal on Jan. 1, a dozen fireworks stores have opened from Scarborough in the south to Presque Isle in the north.
With the approach of July Fourth, fire officials have stressed the importance of fireworks safety. State law limits fireworks to municipalities where they’re approved and requires people to be 21 to purchase and use them.
At the Atlas Fireworks Factory store in Scarborough, a steady stream of customers Monday checked out the wide selection of fireworks with names like Red, White and Kaboom and Pyro Fest. The average customer spends $65 to $100, the store manager said.
But others, like Scarborough restaurant owner John DiSanto, are spending much more. DiSanto was expecting more than 50 people at his house for a July Fourth party where he planned to shoot off more than $2,500 worth of fireworks.
The economy’s been tough for so long, fireworks gives people a chance to celebrate and have a little fun, he said. He’s also paying tribute to his brother, who died last year.
“This year I’m going over the top to show gratitude to my staff, my friends and my family,” DiSanto said. “It’s a nice way to celebrate.”
Business has been brisk, said Barbara Pelkey, who manages the Atlas store for her husband, who owns the Scarborough store and five others in New Hampshire. But it’s inevitable that Maine’s law will hurt fireworks stores in New Hampshire, she said.
“Mainers aren’t going to go New Hampshire anymore,” she said. “It’s going to cut somewhere.”
Hilltop Fireworks will feel it if a fireworks store opens in Maine close to Somersworth, said Kenneth Vincent, the store’s co-owner. For now, the nearest Maine fireworks store is an hour’s drive away.
But even then, many Mainers will continue coming to New Hampshire, he said.
“We hear the prices in Maine are outrageous,” Vincent said. “Plus, Maine has a sales tax and New Hampshire doesn’t.”
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Everything is more expensive in Maine, the way life should be.
expensive?! they are outragous. the store in presque isle is way over priced compared to the NH stores and with prices like that is inviting a national fireworks store to come in and give him some competition. there is nothing wrong with making a profit but gouging is not a good thing.
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People went ballistic over motorcycle noise, now we have fireworks to contend with. I always considered loud radios from younger generation with their base turned so hi, you were able to loose a couple of pounds off if you listened to it for five min. to be far worse than bikers.
Now that the proof is out that NH sales didn’t get hurt, next 4th of July there will be authorities waiting at the border to inspect your vehicle when you come in from NH and see if you have Fireworks and if you do you will be required to pay the sales tax on the spot as well as additional surcharges.
and if maine authorities randomly runs maine license
plates and a plate comes back as someone who
bought fireworks at a maine fireworks store
maine fireworks stores are nanny government stores
Not when the officer tells you that they had vehicles followed at random and called your car back in once you left a store and headed back. They will ask you to produce your receipts to tell what was purchased where or otherwise you will be found in default of sales tax evasion.
Give it time, this state doesn’t have the brightest people running it.
IF YOU BOUGHT FIREWORKS IN MAINE…LEPAGE’S NANNY GOVERNMENT RECORDED ALL YOUR INFORMATION TO HAVE ON FILE FOREVER…WHICH MEANS THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT HAS ALL YOUR INFORMATION
when you buy fireworks at a NH fireworks store, you buy,you leave, nothing recorded
maine fireworks stores are nanny-government stores!
when you bought fireworks at a maine fireworks store,
the maine store looked at your ID RECORDED IT
the maine store took down your name RECORDED IT
the maine store took down your address RECORDED IT
the maine store took down what you bought RECORDED IT
the maine store will track and record all your purchases RECORDED IT
HAHA! You all lost your freedoms when you
bought fireworks, not gained freedom
ps
now that maine has your information on file, they
can check ALL YOUR RECORDS to see if you go to new
hampshire to buy fireworks and dont report it
hate to break it to you pitbull, but the government already knows everything about us there is to know.
and if they don’t, then they can just find out thanks to the patriot act and NDAA.
OK But since all that personal info came from my license they already had it. As for purchases hey know everything we buy everywhere anyway so again no difference. Video surveillance is not just for theft after all … Big Brother is watching everywhere.
You do know that this does not bother some of us, correct? I go through deep background checks twice a year though my employer. The DEA has my finger prints on file and I have no clue what other information they dug up about me when I needed high level clearance to do work for them.
I also have no clue how deep Bangor, PD looked into my past when I applied for my concealed firearms permit so I could care less that anyone in the Government knows that I made a fireworks purchase.
If you want to do certain things in life you have to allow your past or present to become an open book.
lepage’s maine fireworks stores are nanny-government stores
Which may be true, but if you got nothing to hide, who cares? “Sir you purchased Fireworks” So what? It’s legal. They can’t easily say “You must purchase them in NH and failed to pay the tax” Well prove it. I bought a stuffed animal at a fair in NH, heres the 20 cents for tax.
If you got something to hide, don’t walk into a store. It’s like going to Wal-Mart and purchase a bag of Pellets, they got to take my name down, the transaction number on the receipt that I paid with my debit card, etc. Yeah sure it is Nanny’s R Us in Maine, it’s everywhere. What can the state do with the information? Not a heck of a lot.
how will they do that if NH does not record anything?
“…Amy Harper of South Berwick, had never bought fireworks before Monday. That’s when she and her 19-year-old son picked up an assortment of small fireworks…”
Thought law was 21?
Anyone under 21 must be accompanied by an adult in the store. I think the law says 21 to use but it 21 for alcohol too so what do you think will happen?
I’m willing to bet that the purchase was made by Amy Harper and not her 19yr old son……rocket scientist you’re not, smarten up.
you’re*
He can pick them out but CAN”T BUY them
“Scarborough restaurant owner John DiSanto, are spending much more. DiSanto was expecting more than 50 people at his house for a July Fourth party where he planned to shoot off more than $2,500 worth of fireworks..”
disSanto is a former mass resident …i wonder how much
his maine neighbors next door like fireworks now?
you can bet those 50 vehicles will hav mass plates on them at
disSanto’s maine fireworks party..giv it to ’em good john!
You can only buy ground based fireworks in Maine. No bottle rockets. New Hampshire sells every kind of fireworks. Who of you that buy fireworks dont want bottle rockets. And then there’s the prices. New Hampshire cant lose the way I see it.