Crazy Joe’s gets blown away

Cover photo: Owner Sherry Gallagher Siscoe and son Nathan are 100 percent ready to start selling fireworks one week after a strong wind destroyed Crazy Joe’s tent and merchandise.  

Crazy Joe’s gets blown away

By Kathy Feist

It’s been a crazy first few days at Crazy Joe’s Fireworks at 171st and Holmes Rd.

 “At 7:38 we were selling fireworks, and at 7:39 everything had blown away,” recalls Marcia Gallagher who helps run the operation there. “The tent went up like a hot air balloon.” 

Crazy Joe’s, which houses thousands of fireworks within a giant 240’ x 60’ tent, got hit with a microburst of 85-mile winds at the start of a stormy Thursday night, June 20th.  All inventory plus tables, supplies and racks were blown into the distant tree line. Packages of fireworks were destroyed. The giant tent was torn through its roof. 

The tent, which was being leased by All Seasons, had to be returned for repairs. Because of its unusual large size, there were no replacements. For Crazy Joe’s, this meant no business for at least five to six days.

As of press time, June 24, owner Sherry Gallagher Siscoe was still waiting for the repaired tent. They were hopeful it would be up by Tuesday, June 25. “We will get it stretched, lifted and pulled back up and ready to go!” said Gallagher. Then it will be fast work for staff to restock inventory from the semi-truck loads waiting on the property. [UPDATE: Crazy Joe’s got the tend up on Tuesday, June 26, and was back in business Wednesday, June 27, while they filled racks and tables with merchandise.]

Crazy Joe’s has opened every Fourth of July season since 1967 at the corner it shares with Sneads BBQ. It is usually the first fireworks stand to open for the season. This year, that day happened to fall on the day of the storm. You can check on the progress of Crazy Joe’s at www.crazyjoesfireworks.com.