BOOM.

i love these places....


This week i got to play with fire in a sandy field in New York with some folks that do as their livelihood.


A place called Grucci's Fireworks. 


These guys  have pulled off everything from Presidential inaugurations to MOMA to Lady Liberty's 100th birthday, & is considered the 'first family of fireworks' in the US.

But the cool part is their story.

The founder, Angelo Lanzetta and great great-grandfather to Felix Grucci, Sr., started it all in 1850 in southern Italy before coming to Elmont, Long Island via Ellis Island.

After Angelo's death in 1899, his son, Anthony carried on the family business and in 1923 brought his nephew, Felix Grucci, Sr., to serve as an apprentice. Early in the Depression, they moved their business to Miami, Florida in hopes of greener pastures. But, homesick they returned to Bellport, New York in 1929 to continue their business.


The walls of their offices are plastered with the heritage of their family business.
It's amazing & humbling how far they've come.


here are some of my fav shots on their wall:
* trying to make a go of it during the depression. (they do look depressed)
* toddler playing with fire. literally.
* husband and wife team building fireworks in the 30's on the farm.
* a family friend, Frank.
* firebombs from the 70's, and what they create now.

check out the Grucci family here