Vodka shots took on a whole new meaning in Lake Wylie, as a liquor store joined in the movement to support the Ukraine’s attempt to fend off the Russian invasion.
On Wednesday, Lake Wylie Liquors posted a video on its Facebook page where nine men and women armed with various types of guns shot up a display of vodka bottles in a field. A caption early in the video states the store’s support of Ukraine. Another toward the end states, “F**K Russia.”
“Here at Lake Wylie Liquors, we support Freedom and The People of Ukraine,” the post reads. “This is what we think of Vladie and his Vodka.”
The turkey shoot style targeting of the vodka takes place with the alcohol bottles flanked by an American flag and a Lake Wylie Liquors flag. A Mozart piece, “Eine kleine Nachtmusik” by the Austrian composer, serenades the shooting.
Owner Matthew Mugavero said Thursday the shooters in the video are store customers who support the protest, something he’s heard plenty of lately. One customer had some private property in Lake Wylie for the event. Another runs a gun shop, and organized the shooting to promote safety. Customers and the store donated to the Red Cross as part of the protest.
“We’re trying to do what we can to help,” Mugavero said.
Mugavero calls the act a drop in the bucket, but said he would rather destroy the Russian vodka his store had than sell it.
“We’ve already paid for it,” he said. “It’s really just me taking a loss on it. We could either pour it down the drain or shoot it. Were not going to sell it. We’re not going to bring in their stuff ever again.”
Posting the video online is something Mugavero hopes will help refugees, through donations to groups like Red Cross.
“It’s up there to grab attention and just ask people to do what they can,” he said.
Protests against Russian vodka have become common since Russia invaded Ukraine in late February. In South Carolina, legislative bills were filed involving business with Russian agencies including one that would ban liquor stores from selling Russian-made alcohol, according to The State.
In North Carolina, Gov. Roy Cooper issued an executive order for state entities to review sales that benefit Russian agencies. The state alcoholic beverage control commission then suspended Russian-produced spirits, according to the Charlotte Observer.
A Google search for “vodka protest” brings up accounts of liquor stores and communities across the country pouring out or destroying bottles of Russian vodka.
Another area beverage store took a different approach. Sauce Monkey Spirits is the Fort Mill shop started by former Charlotte sportscaster Chuck Howard. Sauce Monkey posted on its social media that it will take months of people in protest refusing to buy Russian alcohol, as the bottles being dumped and destroyed now just cost area small business owners since the drink makers were paid months ago.
Sauce Monkey also noted many vodkas sold in its store and others in the area sound like they may come from Russia, but don’t. Sauce Monkey instead suggests Ukranian-made vodka for people who want to support that country.
“The Russians got paid for that vodka probably 8 months ago as a distributor has to pay them to then ship it over to the states,” a recent Sauce Monkey Facebook post reads. “So while the sentiment is of course virtuous in all honesty it isn’t hurting the Russians today. So don’t waste good vodka.”
It’s a similar story with many area beverage stores. O’Darby’s Liquor Barn in Rock Hill posted in late February it would stop ordering Russian brand vodka and would only have what remained of it in the store’s inventory. The store recommended two Ukranian brand vodkas as a substitute.
On March 8, the United Nations posted on its Facebook page that 2 million people have fled the war in Ukraine, the fastest-growing refugee crisis in Europe since World War II.
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