A Colorado family has been enjoying brisk business in recent years for their fireworks business thanks to a relatively new store in Wyoming. The Elliott family built “Artillery World Fireworks” just north of the Colorado-Wyoming border to sell fireworks to Coloradans that are otherwise illegal to sell in the Centennial State.
Coloradans have long traveled to Wyoming to buy the fireworks they can’t find in Colorado. But now, when they enter Wyoming, they’re greeted in part by a large white building covered in signs touting the owner’s ties to Colorado.
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Pete Elliott is the owner of the fireworks business his father started in Colorado in the 1960s. He has since expanded throughout Colorado and now Wyoming.
And in keeping with tradition, Pete has included his family in the success of the company today.
The Wyoming store is run by a 13-year-old with a strong personality and an executive work ethic. Pete’s daughter, Aubrey Elliot, is one of four children who help him in the family business.
“I know how to sell, run a cash register and all that kind of stuff. So I like to help out when I can,” Aubrey told CBS News Colorado’s Dillon Thomas.
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Aubrey said she enjoyed working in the family shop for the first half of her summer. And after working that way for a few years, she gained knowledge about the business that is a valuable asset to her father, her coworkers and her customers.
She gave Thomas a tour of the three fireworks warehouse buildings and explained in detail which fireworks were legal in Colorado and why. She then toured the other buildings filled with illegal fireworks in Colorado and explained how they work and why they are considered dangerous or illegal in Colorado.
Aubrey was a clear example of a family that loves their business.
“I have a little brother who is a real arsonist,” Aubrey said.
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Having family members who want to work in the family business is beneficial to the family, especially in a community where they are still establishing roots for their business.
“It’s amazing to have a family business, especially these days,” Pete said.
“It’s always hard to find help here because we’re not from Wyoming,” Aubrey said.
While it can be difficult to find staff to work the stand, located in a rural field just north of the border east of I-25, what isn’t difficult is finding customers.
“We had lines all the way to our warehouse,” Aubrey said. “A lot of our customers are from Colorado. A lot of people come here and say they love that we’re a Colorado company. It’s really important for them to come here.”
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Aubrey said she was excited to wrap up a successful Fourth of July season, saying it was fun. However, she said she was looking forward to returning to her home near Denver for the rest of the summer alongside her friends.
“I love being here because I love helping, but I miss home,” Aubrey said.
