A couple weeks ago, we made an episode on fireworks shows.

We broke down how pyrotechnics companies orchestrate those big Fourth of July shows for cities and towns.

But there's another side to the fireworks business that our senior producer Sarah Lilly was curious about.

You know, every year in the couple weeks before the 4th of July, all these fireworks stands

and tents pop up all over the country on the sides of roads and parking lots.

And they're there for like a week and then disappear.

You in the market for some fireworks?

God, no.

I actually hate fireworks.

Really?

Well, I have dogs, so you know how that goes.

Anyway, I've just always wondered who runs these stands and how they make money.

So, to answer this question, I decided to call up a guy who knows pretty much everything about the business.

Alex Zolden, and I'm the vice president here at Phantom.

Phantom is one of the largest consumer fireworks retailers in America.

We have about 1,500 temporary pop-up tents and stands that go up from Hawaii, California to New York,

and down to Florida.

We're in almost every state, and then also we do about 4,000 big box stores.

So Menards, Home Depot, Giant Eagle.

For the Freakonomics Radio Network, this is the economics of everyday things. I'm Zachary Crockett. Today, we've got a special bonus episode for

you on Fireworks Stans. Zach, a few weeks ago, you told us about the fireworks shows that cities and towns put on.

And I want to know, how does that relate to the kinds of fireworks that regular people do in their own backyards?

...