02-07-2025
Afternoon Briefing: Illinoisans flock to Indiana to buy fireworks
Good afternoon, Chicago.
Mike Piechocinski walked the tightly packed, but organized, aisle of Krazy Kaplans Fireworks in Hammond with his 7-year-old daughter, Savannah, looking for smoke bombs.
The father and daughter duo drove in from Wheaton to shop for fireworks 'you can't get in Illinois,' Piechocinski said, like the kind with bigger smoke and louder sounds. It would be nice if Illinois sold fireworks, Piechocinski said, but he said he's used to shopping for fireworks out of state.
Krazy Kaplans is the first exit off of I-94 driving east from Illinois into Indiana, and it's across the street from two other fireworks stores — Rock the Sky Fireworks and Cheap Fireworks. Billboards touting the latest deals at Krazy Kaplans and other fireworks stores are common sights along Illinois expressways.
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