Just before he left school Jonathan Young was told by his school career’s adviser that his dream of owning a fireworks business was just a hobby. Fast forward 25 years and Jonathan’s Fireworks continues to go from strength to strength.
He’d been dreaming of the moment since he was ten-years-old and just six years later, aged 16, the Hartshill resident left school and opened up something Nuneaton had not seen before – a dedicated fireworks shop.
From the very same base in Arbury Road, the now 41-year-old has grown his business to the point where he now travels to China to manufacture his own fireworks that not only sell at stores across the country, but have won awards too.
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“I was interested in fireworks from about the age of ten,” he said. This fascination led him to working for a fireworks company on work experience.
They saw potential and encouraged him to set up his own shop. But this view was not shared by everyone.
“I can still see it now, I remember my school career’s adviser saying that she couldn’t see that that was a job, she couldn’t see that would ever provide a living and it might be something you’d do as a part-time thing, I do remember her saying that very well,” Mr Young said.
“I do remember opening the shop and my friend’s mum said ‘do you honestly think you are going to be able to make a go of this?’ There was a lot of that.
“Plus it was quite rare really then, fireworks and going into a fireworks business. “
(Image: Nuneaton Memories)
He admits it was a brave move to make, but opening in 1999 proved to be pivotal. “I started at the right time, we had the Millennium in 1999 and I think that changed fireworks dramatically for being more popular and especially for New Year,” the businessman said.
“Before 1999 people didn’t really used to have fireworks at home for New Year’s Eve but now New Year’s Eve is very popular for fireworks.”
Even back then, fireworks displays were seasonal but now, there is a demand for them throughout the year. They now appear for occasions from weddings to pubic and professional events
“We used to do about five or six a year, we do about 150 displays a year now,” he explained.
That is not the only aspect that has changed: “When people used to come into the shop, I had to explain what they (the fireworks ) would look and sound like, now we have videos that customers can watch so they can pick exactly what they want.”
The Jonathan’s Fireworks custom-created ‘selection box’ of fireworks is now a top seller, not only in his hometown but further afield as he provides stock to other companies across the country.
These custom-made fireworks come from China, a country he now visits three to four times a year to make his latest firework idea come to fruition.
The ‘Big Event’
But what are his favourites? ‘Cake’ fireworks, which contain multiple shots and his company has created their very own for special occasions. It would only be right that a firework was created to mark the 25th anniversary and he done that with the special edition – the ‘Big Event’ – including the colour silver to tie in with the milestone.
With fireworks becoming more common now compared to more than two decades ago when he first started, Mr Young said that the days of fireworks literally just being big old bangers are long gone.
“People may not think it but fireworks now are actually quieter than they were back then,” he said. “We do sell quieter fireworks but
“The focus now isn’t on the noise, it is on the display itself.”
As he contemplates 25 years in business, he admits that his 16-year-old self would not have believed his passion for fireworks would now see him travel to China as well as expand the company online.
“I never thought it would have been as successful as it has been,” he said. “I don’t think anyone could have known, including me, how popular fireworks were going to become.
“But I definitely would have never thought then where it is now, definitely not. I look back now and think ‘crikey’. Fireworks shops, back then, were not that common.
“I didn’t think for one second it would have grown to where it is now. I look at 16-year-olds now and wonder how anyone took me seriously, I was just a 16-year-old lad, but ultimately people did.”
There is not too much time to celebrate, as the company gears up for an extremely busy period of displays, including the annual Nuneaton and Bedworth Christmas light switch-ons, where the dazzling displays are set to music.
But it’s safe to say, as much as the crowds enjoy his displays, Mr Young remains the biggest fireworks fan going.
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