CORPUS CHRISTI, Texas — Even though the Fourth of July is still three days away, many have already been preparing to light up the night with fireworks. At least one family-operated business is gearing up to see big crowds.
The options for fireworks are endless. Some may be curious to find out which products at ‘Mr. W Fireworks’ might sell out first. 3NEWS spoke with the assistant manager, Sebastian Trejo - who despite his age, knows the ins and outs of running the business with his family.
If you visit Mr. W Fireworks, you’ll be sure to hear: snaps, crackles and pops with the variety of inventory inside the warehouse.
"Our most popular product is going to be 'The Absolute Power,' it's going to be right here,” Sebastian said. “This is a cake, which is going to be $59."
Trejo is only 12 years old. He runs the store with his older brother, Cristian Figueroa, a Carroll High School student.
"It's nice to see the same people every year and then come back and tell us which fireworks look the best," Figueroa said.
Sebastian and Cristian's dad, and Mr. W Fireworks operator Mike Trejo, said this family-operated business didn't explode with popularity overnight.
“I don't do much now that I have both my boys, we've been doing this for 13 years now," he said. "I was a paraprofessional, and I decided, my wife actually who was already a teacher, told me to quit my job and go get my degrees."
With that leap of faith, Mike looked for ways to supplement income. He even delivered pizzas until he saw an application for Mr. W Fireworks.
"I've been doing it since I got my degree in 2013 and since I was a teacher," Mike said.
The flexibility in the work schedule is what Figueroa enjoys.
“I like the flexibility, and the fact that everybody who comes here, like they're regulars."
Make no mistake, the person who's running this business was born to do this.
"I'm mostly always there with my family, and spending time,” Sebastian said.
Sebastian and his family’s 'Mr. W Fireworks' location is at 6402 Old Brownsville Road. Mike Trejo wanted to remind the public to use caution when using any fireworks this weekend.