Staff photos / R. Michael Semple Alex Zoldan, co-owner of Phantom Fireworks, right, leads a tour of the company’s warehouse in Warren on Thursday.

WARREN — Trumbull County Commissioner Denny Malloy on Thursday joined local, state and national officials for a tour of Phantom Fireworks’ massive warehouse in Warren as part of the Trumbull County Tourism Bureau’s “New Stops, Fresh Insights” Economic Development Tour.

The event highlighted the family-run company’s significant role in driving the region’s economy and its position as a leader in the national fireworks industry.

Phantom Fireworks, founded nearly 50 years ago by Bruce Zoldan, has grown from selling sparklers at gas stations to operating nearly 100 year-round retail stores across the United States, from Maine to Nevada. The 400,000-square-foot Warren warehouse, described as the largest single consumer fireworks distribution center in the country, handles about 1,000 shipping containers annually, primarily from China.

It supplies 95 retail outlets, 1,700 temporary stands and tents, and chain stores such as Giant Eagle, Menards and Sheetz.

“This is absolutely amazing,” Malloy said. “The magnitude of business that comes right out of here for the whole world economy, international commerce — it really hits home. Businesses like Phantom Fireworks, with the trucking companies, power companies and box companies they work with, plus the people they employ here and in their retail stores, are a big part of what keeps our economy strong.”

The tour, led by co-owner Alex Zoldan and transportation manager Tim Kunkel, offered a detailed look at warehouse operations.

Visitors saw how fireworks are received, stored, sorted and shipped, with 800 different products managed across the facility. The warehouse employs 50 to 60 workers year-round, doubling during the busy season from April to July.

“We get pallets from Millwood, and they buy back our bad pallets to recycle,” Kunkel said, highlighting partnerships with local companies. “It’s a wave of seven or eight trailers outbound just for those.”

Jessica Dragoiu, vice president, shared the company’s history, noted its start with mail-order sparklers.

“It’s exciting to be a family-run company from Youngstown that’s now a success story across the country,” she said. “We’re proud to employ so many locals, many who grew up here and know this company’s story.”

A major topic was the impact of tariffs, which spiked to 145% in April.

“We had to stop importing around April 12,” Alex Zoldan said. “The duty alone from that 145% was $2.2 million.”

The tariff has since dropped to 35%, but Zoldan emphasized the challenge, as there’s no U.S. manufacturing base for consumer fireworks.

“It would take 20 years to build that here,” he said. “China’s been making fireworks for 1,200 years, and it’s all handmade in a 90-mile radius in Hunan and Jiangxi provinces.”

Zoldan urged officials to support tariff exemptions, noting, “There’s no manufacturing base to protect. It’s like coffee beans or cocoa, it’s a commodity unique to one area.”

Malloy responded, mentioning a recent letter sent to U.S. senators and representatives, for a similar issue with tariffs.

“We’d appreciate any support,” Zoldan said. “It’s a big deal for us.”

With the nation’s 250th anniversary in 2026 approaching, Phantom Fireworks is preparing for a record-breaking year.

“We’re building inventory for a huge celebration,” Zoldan said. “The president’s urging the country to celebrate, and we feel confident it’ll be a big year for sales.”

The company’s resilience was evident during the COVID-19 pandemic, when, despite initial fears, it sold out its stock.

“Everybody was at home with money in their pockets,” Zoldan said. “We were down to a few pallets.”

Beth Carmichael, executive director of the Trumbull County Tourism Bureau, praised Phantom Fireworks’ community ties.

“They bring in clients and support local businesses, showing how interconnected our economy is,” she said. “We’re proud to celebrate multigenerational businesses like Phantom, alongside new industries.”

The company’s commitment to safety was also highlighted, with strict storage standards and partnerships with a Pennsylvania fire department to dispose of damaged products.

Phantom Fireworks’ journey from a Youngstown startup to a national leader left some officials in awe.

“Every sparkler or firework you see next year for America’s 250th anniversary will likely have a connection to Warren, Ohio,” Malloy said. “That’s something we can all be proud of.”