Tag Archives: Stoli

Chicago Gay Bar Ends Stoli Boycott After Donation To Russian LGBT Group

From the Facebook page of Chicago’s popular Sidetrack bar: Stoli will again be available at Sidetrack. As Russia prepares to launch these Olympic games, TODAY Stoli has allied itself on the side of LGBT Freedom and will once again be on the shelves at Sidetrack. Stoli has pledged $150,000 as their first donation to the Russia Freedom Fund (the same …

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Stoli Donates $300K To LA LGBT Center

“The responses to the attacks on LGBT rights in Russia show that our lives are global and interconnected. Some responded to the attacks on LGBT rights in Russia by boycotting Stoli. It’s worth clarifying that SPI Group, which is in no way affiliated with the Russian government, has been the owner of the Stolichnaya brand outside of Russia since 1997. …

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Press Release Of The Day

Just in from Gay Cities / Queerty: In lieu of the national Stoli boycott by some in the LGBT community, GayCities has convinced SPI (Stoli’s parent company) to donate $5 for each person whom RSVP’s and attends The Most Original Stoli Guy Live in San Francisco, San Diego, Dallas and D.C. The participating charities include local chapters of Equality CA, …

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NYC Straight Bars Dump Russian Vodka

As I mentioned yesterday, a 200-member NYC restaurant and nightclub group has joined the boycott of Russian vodka.  Here’s more on their protest in Manhattan. Holding up a bottle of the popular Russian brand Stolichnaya, the United Restaurant and Tavern Owners Association President Paul Hurley shook his head and called for a city-wide boycott of Russian spirits and liquor. “All …

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NYC Restaurant And Nightclub Trade Association To Hold Symbolic Vodka Dump

A New York City restaurant and nightclub trade association will today hold a symbolic vodka dump in protest of Russia’s ban on “homosexual propaganda.” The protest is organized by the United Restaurant and Tavern Owners Association, which represents 3,000 hotels, nightclubs, bars and restaurants. The umbrella group is calling for a citywide ban on all Russian booze and foods. Last …

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Signorile Interviews Stoli CEO

Yesterday Michelangelo Signorile interviewed Stoli CEO Val Mendeleev on his new Sirius XM show. Audio of the full interview is at the bottom of this post. In response to the boycott, Mendeleev said the company is in the beginning phase of seeking a group to which it could donate money to help fight the anti-gay government repression in Russia, and …

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At NYC’s Russian Consulate Protest

At this writing about 100 activists are demonstrating outside the Russian consulate on Manhattan’s Upper East Side. Scott Wooledge is posting photos to the Facebook page for Memeograph.  The bottles of vodka were donated by the Hell’s Kitchen location of the gay sports bar, Boxers. UPDATE: ACT UP is also tweeting photos. The caption on the photo below reads: “@NYPD …

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Russia State News Notes Stoli Boycott

From the Russian state news agency RIA Novosti: As boycotts of Russian vodka spread across the globe in protest over new Russian laws on homosexuality, US gay rights activists warn the campaign could be the first stage in a broader drive targeting Russia’s economy and image with the Sochi Winter Olympics six months away. “I don’t think the Russian vodka …

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ACT UP Disrupts Stoli Promo At NYC Bar

Last night members of ACT UP disrupted a Stoli promotion at the popular Splash Bar in Chelsea.  Paul Schindler reports at Gay City News: It certainly didn’t have the makings of a fair fight, as a group of less than a dozen members of ACT UP/ NY faced off against a crowd of roughly 150 who had been primed with …

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TODAY: Stoli CEO On Signorile’s Show

If you can’t listen live, I’ll try to get an audio clip later.

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Gay Patriot: Leftists Are Bullying Stoli

“Stoli has donated to a number of gay and lesbian organizations, including some like GLAAD and HRC, on the left of the political spectrum. Let us stand up to those who would bully a corporation merely because of the Russian origin of its product. On my way home from the Meatless Mondays Steak Dinner last night, I stopped by my …

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NYC Bars Join Stoli Boycott

From the Facebook page of the NYC Eagle: Beginning immediately, the Eagle NYC will discontinue the sale of STOLI and any alcoholic product produced in Russia in protest of Russia’s anti-gay bill banning the “propaganda of nontraditional sexual relations”. This archaic bill effectively strips every LGBTQ member in Russia of basic human rights and puts gays in danger of being …

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Quote Of The Day – Scott Shackford

“What’s sad about this effort is that if Russia succeeds in getting its hands back on Stoli, then a boycott actually makes sense. But the consequence will be that a powerful businessman who does support the gay community will lose his company. Boycotting Stoli now is a very bad idea. [Stoli owner Yuri] Scheffler is an ally who the gay …

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Stoli Vs JMG Reader Str8Grandmother

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Stoli Updates Its Facebook Page

Comments are open there.

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British Gay Clubs Dump Stoli

Pink News reports: G-A-Y group has become the latest to vow to boycott Russian vodkas in solidarity with LGBT people living in Russia, where gay “propaganda”, and the adoption of children by foreign gay couples were recently made illegal. G-A-Y which owns the brand, its bars, and Heaven nightclub, will not be serving Russian vodka from now on, confirmed its …

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Queer Nation Responds To Stoli CEO

Via press release: A Statement From Queer Nation; Marketing Is Not Enough Val Mendeleev, the chief executive officer of SPI Group, the owner of the Stolichnaya brand, confirmed in an open letter on July 25 that SPI produces this vodka in Russia and that SPI has offices and operations in Russia. Stolichnaya is a Russian vodka that is owned by …

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Stoli CEO Issues Open Letter To Gays

The CEO of Stolichnaya Vodka has written an open letter to the LGBT community in order to stave off the nascent boycott campaign. The letter opens: The recent dreadful actions taken by the Russian Government limiting the rights of the LGBT community and the passionate reaction of the community have prompted me to write this letter to you. I want …

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