In the city of Cullman, the sale of fireworks and pyrotechnics were previously not allowed. However, the city council voted to allow the sale of pyrotechnics through the Fourth of July.
The city amended the ordinance because the previous language is no longer in line with how the state defines what fireworks are.
"In order to match our ordinance up per that state legislature act, we had to amend the definitions under pyrotechnics," said Luke Satterfield, an attorney for the city of Cullman.
Because of that, stores like Publix and Walmart brought in fireworks to sell and had been selling them prior to the city making the change.
"Just from an economic standpoint, just in order to help those guys out, we said you can sell through the Fourth of July."
The new ordinance will go into effect July 5. At that point, businesses in the city will no longer be able to sell pyrotechnics.
But in the meantime, other businesses rely on this time of year for their profit and are left to compete with big box stores.
"What I want to portray here today is not how it's hurting my business, but it's not right for the people, the citizens of Cullman to not have the same opportunity as Walmart and Publix have now. There are several businesses within the city limits of Cullman that would've enjoyed having the opportunity to sell fireworks, but they weren't given that choice," said Chad Alexander.
Alexander owns Fish's Fireworks on State Road 157. He has been in that location for 15 years, because it falls outside city limits, making it legal for him to sell fireworks.
He has been in the fireworks business since 1997 alongside his wife and predicted something like this would happen.
"I told her one day big box stores would eventually start selling fireworks and make it where mom and pop operations would struggle," said Alexander. "Truly it's not about me profiting a dollar or losing a dollar. I just feel the city, the citizens should have had the same opportunity."
Satterfield said that businesses in the city have the same opportunity as the big box stores.
"I would say the counter to that is the small business that sells these would have the same opportunity to do so through the Fourth of July as the big box store would have," said Satterfield.
When the new ordinance goes into effect July 5, not only will selling pyrotechnics in the city come to an end, but businesses won't be able to sell them the next fireworks season, like New Years.