SOUTHWEST MISSOURI — It’s not unusual for fireworks stands to be operated by the same family.
And that’s the case with one in Southwest Missouri but it’s been running a lot longer than most.
When they say this stand on the corner of 32nd and Main Street in Joplin is a family affair, they aren’t kidding.
It has been operated by a family member since 1970.
It all started when Vic Colson and a partner of his started the Botany Shop in it’s original location.
Vic Colson, Started The Family Business, said, “We ran out of business about the first of June and we had somebody want to rent the lot from us for 75 dollars to put up a fireworks stand there, so me and my partner, Mike Shade, we decided to put our own tent up there and it’s been going ever since.”
Vic’s son Aaron is now the owner of this and a host of other black market locations, and his two daughters Claire and Carmen now run the location that started it all.
Claire Colson, 4th Generation Stand Operator, said, “It’s amazing getting to work with my family every single year, coming in here to manage my own tent with my sister and having everyone look over the tent with me, it’s so much fun working with all my classmates, friends and family, so it’s great.”
And every employee is either a family member or went to Joplin Area Catholic Schools with the two sisters.
And this isn’t just a hobby for the Colson sisters, at some point they plan on taking over the family business.
“We actually are in the warehouse picking products that come new for the next years as well as all of our gangster things, we get to help do that like this year a new product we have Pablo Escobar which me and my sister designed all the package, picked everything out for it so we’re not only just working to push product out as well.”
