CORPUS CHRISTI, Texas — American businesses are now looking for their own ways to send the message to Russia that the invasion of Ukraine is unacceptable. Some have decided to remove an icon of Russia from their shelves; vodka.
“I would definitely take it off our shelf," said Fallon Wood, owner of Yorktown Liquor and Wine. "I would not support what’s going on and I don’t support what’s going on over there in Russia.”
Although Wood doesn’t carry Russian vodka on her liquor store’s shelves anymore, she agrees with the latest trend of pulling Russian-made vodka.
Gov. Greg Abbott, along with other governors, has called for businesses to remove any Russian-made products from their stores; another tactic to try and hurt the Russian economy.
Wood said this is more of a symbolic movement, showing solidarity that everyone is against Russia’s invasion of Ukraine.
“When we purchase liquor, we have to pay for it upfront," she said. "It makes me mad because we’ve already supported them. We’ve already given our money to them. So it’s like, what do they care.”
The popular vodka that is in the Coastal Bend and still distilled in Russia is Russian Standard. We spoke to several other liquor stores who said if they have it, they are considering taking it off shelves. But many small liquor stores don’t carry Russian vodka in Corpus Christi.
Many people believe the brand that goes by Stoli is from Russia. However, it's a common misconception because of it's name. It's actually currently brewed in Latvia and owned by a company in Luxembourg.
Local restaurant owner, Glenn Mier, said he too has little Russian vodka, and for good reason.
“I've been moving away from carrying products that are not local," Mier said, owner of Black Sheep Bistro and The Angry Marlin. "And here in Texas, we have plenty of local distillers that are making vodka, making tequila, making bourbon. And so, as I'm small and local, I always want to purchase things as close to my community as possible to support my own economy."
The shop owners we spoke with said the loss of these bottles will not hurt them and they don’t plan on buying more.
“I will not pay for a product from another country that’s doing what they’re doing,” said Wood
“I have no desire to look for Russian vodka,” said Mier.
If you’re wondering which brands are Russian, you can always check the label of the spirit to see where it was distilled.
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