3 minute read
Dreamland Fireworks
from News4U June 2021
The most bang for your buck: Locally-owned north side business focused on saving the community money without skimping on the explosions
Believe it or not, the 4th of July is really happening this year. 2020 saw the city's annual fireworks display nixed due to the pandemic but it's all systems go this summer and that includes backyard parties and gatherings to celebrate Independence Day. Long story short, after months and months of hardship, everyone's more than ready to let off a little steam and blow some stuff up - safely, of course. Unfortunately, due to Covid and its impact on the production of goods across nearly all industries, the fireworks supply in 2021 is struggling to keep up with the demand; however, there's one locally-owned business that's bound and determined to give you the most bang for your buck, regardless.
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Located on Evansville's north side, Dreamland Fireworks is known for literally giving products away - or close to it, with no end of BOGOs and prices that are 50% cheaper on 99% of the items offered by competitors. Founded by local businessman David Baize back in 2007 after his annual fireworks show on Reitz Hill simply became too expensive to pull off and the only option left was to cut out the middle man, the operation quickly ballooned. All total, Baize opened up 116 stores throughout the region over the following nine years - and at one point was overseeing 10
locations during the annual summer rush for fireworks. And that's when he decided to apply the brakes. "That's how you lose touch with your customers," he explains. "I got tired of not being there on the customer service level of things. When you're not there, it's not the same."
Baize rectified the customer service issue by slimming down to one location on Diamond Avenue in 2016 and got to work saving the community money. By his estimates, fireworks enthusiasts would have spent a whopping $1.3 million more over the last five years if Dreamland didn't exist. "For example, if you spend $500 at another shop, it's only going to cost you $250 or $300 here - because I do it by volume and by the unit, averaging out what is going to be sold," Baize says. "I'll sell 10,000 500 Gram Cakes and my competitor might sell 2000 for the same amount of money. I just give the customers the deal that I think I would like."
Something else Baize figured customers would like is daily giveaways which he conducts through Facebook. To date, he's handed out over $60,000 in cash and fireworks to people that like comments on the Dreamland page and share with friends. Case in point, on May 31 Baize really made someone's day with a $1000 giveaway - which just goes to show that he's dead serious about making a difference by not only providing the best prices and customer service but boosting the morale of the community during these challenging times.
One thing Baize particularly prides himself on is the fact that Dreamland strictly sells fireworks - only fireworks. "Other places sell knick-knacks and other things, but we're Evansville's fireworks store," he states. To ensure complete satisfaction with Dreamland's huge inventory - Baize carries over 10 major suppliers' products - 42 TVs are housed throughout the building, all displaying demonstrations of said products so customers know exactly what to expect. It's a formula for success that's put Dreamland at the forefront of the fireworks industry and resulted in a lot of happy shoppers this time of year. "There's not a single customer who's come here that says they just blew up all their money or it wasn't worth it. They say that every dollar they spent was worth it for each single bang."
Dreamland Fireworks is open now through July 15.
