Big chains applying to sell fireworks in Iowa

It's not just small tents and business upstarts that want to sell fireworks in Iowa.

Multiple big-name chains, from Iowa convenience stores to the world's largest retailer, have eyed sales of the explosives, the state's new firework-sales application process shows.

The State Fire Marshal's Office opened the application process last Thursday, about three weeks after firework sales became legal.

Within the first five days, the office had received more than 168 applications, it said Monday. The office has issued seven retail licenses and registered 11 wholesalers.

It expects to see about 1,000 sites that can sell fireworks in the state.

'Our employees processed applications over the weekend, and we'll continue to put in long hours in the upcoming weeks,” State Fire Marshal Jeff Quigle noted in a statement.

By Tuesday morning, more than 1,000 applicants were listed for retail and wholesale firework sales on the website. Many of those were individual stores from the same company as each location selling fireworks needs a license.

Wal-Mart, for example, had 113 stores listed while there were 59 applications for Bellino Fireworks, and more than 20 for Iowa Fireworks Co. Two Costco stores, including one in Coralville, were listed as applicants, as were multiple locations for retailers Bomgaars, ShopKo, Sam's Club, Hy-Vee and Dollar General.

Grocery store chain Hy-Vee, based in West Des Moines, will leave the decision of whether to sell fireworks to individual store managers, spokeswoman Tara Deering-Hansen said.

'We do not carry fireworks through our distribution centers, though, and we will not start, even with this change in Iowa law,” Deering-Hansen said. 'The stores that do sell fireworks in the states where it's legal, they work directly with the fireworks suppliers to do so.”

Three Hy-Vee stores had started fireworks-sale applications as of Tuesday. Deering-Hansen said Hy-Vee does not have a corporate stance on the sale of fireworks.

A spokeswoman for Deerfield, Ill.-based pharmacy chain Walgreens said some Iowa stores have begun the permit application process, but the company is 'still deciding whether or not to move forward with the sale of these items.”

Starting an account or an application does not mean the company will sell fireworks this year.

Forty-four Kum & Go locations, for example, started the application process to sell consumer fireworks. Spokeswoman Kristie Bell said the West Des Moines-based convenience store chain has considered selling fireworks at its Iowa stores between June 1 and July 8. With numerous cities still determining how they would handle fireworks, though, the company decided not to move forward this year, Bell said.

'...

Since several cities were still working through their approach to the new law, we didn't have a clear picture of where we would and would not be able to sell them, so (we) decided against it for this year,” Bell said in an email.

Casey's General Stores, based in Ankeny, has not applied to sell fireworks. Vice President of Accounting James Pistillo said the company likely won't sell fireworks directly in the near future. Casey's may allow independent fireworks stands to lease property outside of its stores, however, Pistillo said.

About 20 Target stores in Iowa also were listed as applicants.

'With the recent change in Iowa law, we are currently working on permits and hope to offer fireworks in local Target stores as soon as we are able,” a Target spokesperson said in an email.

Costco declined to comment. Other major retailers, including, Wal-Mart, Dollar General, Kmart and CVS Pharmacy, did not respond to requests for comment.

Lawmakers passed the legislation this year that made it legal to possess, sell and use consumer-grade fireworks during two periods in a year. Licensed businesses can sell fireworks from permanent structures from June 1 to July 8 and Dec. 10 to Jan. 3. Those businesses can use temporary structures from June 13 to July 8.

Consumer fireworks include roman candles, bottle rockets and firecrackers. Previous Iowa law only permitted the use of novelty fireworks, such as sparklers and snakes, according to the fire marshal's office.

l Comments: (319) 398-8366; matthew.patane@thegazette.com