North Carolina residents cross southern border to spend thousands on fireworks

DILLON, S.C. (WNCN) — Families from North Carolina are heading south of the border to load up on fireworks for the Fourth of July.

In North Carolina, fireworks shot in the air are illegal.

Instead of buying what’s under the white fireworks tents in their state, people are going nearly 56 miles south of Fayetteville to Jabs Fireworks in Dillion, S.C.

“A lot of people will just drive down,” Jabs Fireworks owner David Collar said. “Go shoot them on the beach or whatever and go back home.”

Jabs Fireworks manager Blackcat Joe said, “We see a lot of North Carolina people here. They know where the good prices are. They know where the good products are.”

According to Collar, Saturday will be his third busiest day aside from the day before July 4 and Independence Day.

Business was bustling on Saturday as families loaded carts with fireworks. Some spent hundreds of dollars, while other spent thousands. 

Customer Earl King from Garner is preparing to host his family from New York for a backyard barbecue on July 4. He doesn’t want his family to have to travel to see a fireworks show and said the firework options in North Carolina aren’t enough. 

“I try not to go too crazy,” King said. “But I work hard, so I want to spend my money where I can.

“Nothing in North Carolina is good enough,” he said. “My old lady sent me a picture of the little fireworks stand and that’s not it. We have to drive down to South Carolina for sure.”

Earlier this month, a bill that would have made shooting fireworks in the air legal failed to pass in the North Carolina General Assembly. State lawmakers cited the dangers of fireworks as the reason it did not pass.

Fireworks supporters say North Carolina is losing millions of dollars that are being spent across the southern border. 

“I don’t know why it failed,” King said. “As long as you’re doing it safely, there shouldn’t be a problem with it.”

According to Collar, customers are also coming in from as far away as New York and Virginia where fireworks are completely banned.

Collar also said President Donald Trump’s new tariffs on fireworks sent prices up by as much 170%, but Jabs has been able to hold off on increasing prices for most products for the Fourth of July. 

“We had about 90% of our product in right after Chinese new year,” Collar said. “We were able to average the cost and we raised some items 5%. That was the highest we had to raise.”

According to customers, these fireworks mean something more like good family fun during a patriotic holiday. 

Collar said there will be extra staff on hand now until July 4 with additional cash registers open to help prevent long wait. He hopes to make it a great experience for customers when they walk through the door.