As the Fourth of July approaches, fireworks retailers across the area are seeing a steady stream of customers — and for locally owned Marvina’s Fireworks, the final days leading up to the holiday are all about helping people build the perfect backyard show.
“We have a couple people who come in every year, tell us their budget and what kind of show they want, and we’ll walk with them and help them pick it all out,” said Jessica Drake, an assistant manager who’s worked at Marvina’s for more than a decade. “Even with a smaller budget, you can have a really nice show.”
Marvina’s, located at 2935 KY 54 in Owensboro, has become a staple in the community. The store is owned by Laurie Drake, who followed in her father’s footsteps after he ran the successful Marvin’s Fireworks across the bridge in Indiana for several years.
Marvina’s is open year-round, and Jessica Drake said that consistency allows them to stay ahead of the curve when it comes to pricing and availability. She said Marvina’s early buying habits helped avoid price hikes even as the industry saw tariff-related increases elsewhere.
“Thankfully (Laurie) always buys early, so we didn’t have to raise any prices this year,” Drake said. “That’s a positive for people, especially with so many deals — we’ve got a lot of buy-one-get-one-99-cents deals going on.”
Products range from sparklers and kid-friendly fountains to heavy artillery shells and multi-shot cakes. Drake said one of their favorite additions in recent years is a line of hand-built assortment bags.
“We kind of handcraft our own assortment bags,” she said. “We go through and pick out some of our favorites — smaller cakes, smaller items — and bag those up. They’ve been a pretty good hit, and they’re fun to put together.”
Drake said much of Marvina’s success is due to a focus on customer service and transparency. Drake added that they’re happy to help customers build their own show, from parents looking for a safe and simple backyard display to a fireworks enthusiast hoping to impress the neighborhood, the staff walks them through options and puts together a plan.
“We’re locally owned, locally operated, and we take pride in it,” she said. “We have a lot of committed customers who come back year after year.”
Temporary tents — such as the one in front of Walmart just down the road from Marvina’s offer a different kind of experience — more compact but still packed with variety.
“We sell kid stuff, teenage stuff, and adult stuff,” said Rita Hibbitt, operator of a TNT Fireworks tent. “You can get a little boom or a big boom or any type of boom you’re looking for.”
The tent offers individual items like Roman candles, firecrackers, and bottle rockets, as well as bundle deals. But Hibbitt said they often steer customers toward building their own pack.
“People want to come buy the big packages, but if you ask, we can help you buy individual stuff that gives you better value,” he said. “You get more bang for your buck.”
TNT also offers deals like buy-one-get-one-free and encourages shoppers to build their own bundle instead of grabbing a pre-packed assortment.
Hours ramp up as the holiday nears, with the tent opening around 8 a.m. and staying open until late. This year, they’ll even stay open July 5.
“We’ll be open Saturday, too, because it’s the weekend — people are still having cookouts,” he said. “We’ll make sure you get what you need.”
