COLONIAL HEIGHTS, Va (WTVR) - Business is booming at Big Bang Fireworks in Colonial Heights. Some customers who have shelled out their cash are new customers who decided not to attend the annual Fourth of July Celebration at Fort Lee.
A decision they made after the Army Post announced it would scale back their July 4 celebration.
In June, Fort Lee announced budget constraints forced them to figure out how to have the annual celebration. The answer was to keep costs down and hold a "scaled-down" celebration.
That decision prompted some fireworks fans to look elsewhere this Fourth of July.
"They're going to be smaller this year and just, it's just not there I don't think, so we're going to try to do our own thing, in the backyard," said Tim Jackson.
"We think them scaling back, takes away from what we fought for all these years for freedom," a disappointed Jonathan Karnaou said.
People who sell fireworks near the base said the decision has helped fuel their firework sales.
"If Fort Lee's not doing it to the expanse they use to, people are going to do it in their cul-de-sac," Valerie Tellman, with Big Bang Fireworks, said. "We've had a couple of people come in and say, hey all the neighbors are pitching some money into the fish bowl and we're going to put on a show in the cul-de-sac for all the kids."
