Vodka, flags and gas: How Russia's invasion of Ukraine has touched South Shore businesses

Ukrainian flags are sold out at South Shore flag shops, Russian liquor may disappear from the shelves and gas prices are breaking records locally and across the state.

The Ukrainian capital city of Kyiv is 4,500 miles away, but Russia's invasion of Ukraine has touched South Shore businesses and the hearts of residents nonetheless. From severing ties with Russia – Apple halted sales of electronics in the country – to signs of generosity like AT&T offering free calls to Ukraine, businesses across the United States and on the South Shore are finding their footing amid a crisis that has reached around the world.

Flags fly for Ukraine

South Shore residents are supporting the people of Ukraine by displaying the nation's colors on billboards, utility poles and in front of homes. South Shore flag shop owners say business has been booming as people rush to buy blue and yellow flags.

Jim Badle, general manager at Rockland Flag Co., said his store had six Ukrainian flags – previously not an overly popular item – before they sold out. With a shortage of flag-making materials, the next shipment could take weeks.

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"Most people are just coming in looking to support what's going on over in Ukraine," Badle said.

Wallace St. John, the owner of Eagle Flag of America Inc. in Hingham, said customers are very interested in Ukrainian flags. Within one hour last week, three people came in asking for them, he said.

The store is sold out, but seamstresses are making about three dozen more to keep up with the demand.

Paying up at the pump

Gas prices have soared in Massachusetts as a result of the war. The price for a gallon of gas rose by 61 cents in the last week, according to AAA, bringing the average price per gallon of regular gas to about $4.24. The company said that is the highest average ever reported in the state.

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The average price of gas per gallon was $2.67 in Massachusetts at this time last year, according to GasBuddy.

Late last week, Tim Gallery at the Citgo in Weymouth said the price of a gallon of regular gas went up 25 cents in a single day. At one Quincy gas station, a gallon of unleaded regular gas sold for $3.89 Friday afternoon. Just 72 hours later, the price was $4.26.

"People are not happy," Gallery said.

Over the weekend, lines of cars were stretched around the BJ's gas station in Quincy, where members could still score a gallon of gas for $4.

On Tuesday, President Joe Biden warned that gas prices will "go up further" as he announced his administration is banning Russian oil, natural gas and coal imports to the U.S.

"The decision today is not without cost here at home," Biden said. "Putin's war is already hurting American families at the gas pump. Since Putin began his military build-up at Ukrainian borders, just since then, the price of gas at the pump in America went up 75 cents and with this action it's going to go up further. I'm going to do everything I can to minimize Putin's price hike here at home."

Few liquor stores remove Russian vodka

While states such as New Hampshire, Texas and Ohio have banned the sale of Russian sprits, Massachusetts has yet to follow suit. Some stores have tossed out Russian vodka, but others say the bottles will stay on the shelves unless they're forced to remove them.

Wollaston Wines and Spirits General Manager Max Haivanis said he is taking the only Russian product in his store, a vodka called Russian Standard, off the shelves. The store doesn't have a lot of the vodka and it doesn't sell very well, he said.

"We won't take a big hit on it," he said. "Who knows what we're doing to do with it."

Nine other liquor stores on the South Shore told The Patriot Ledger this week that they don't plan to remove Russian products from their shelves. Most popular vodka brands – even those commonly thought of as Russian like Stoli and Smirnoff – aren't actually made in the country.

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Only 1.2% of United States' vodka imports came from Russia in the first half of 2021, data from the Distilled Spirits Council of the United States showed. Vodka is the only spirit listed as a Russian import in the report.

While Russian-made products can stay on the shelves for now, state Rep. Patrick Kearney, D-Scituate, is pushing for a statewide ban on anything made in the country – including vodka, energy commodities and other products. He filed a bill last month that has not been voted on.

Gov. Charlie Baker signed an executive order on March 3 ordering all executive branch agencies to stop business with state-owned Russian companies.

“With this order, we hope to build on the sanctions the federal government has already placed on Russia for their unjustified attack on Ukraine,” Baker said. “The Commonwealth of Massachusetts condemns the actions of Russia and stands firmly with the free and democratic nation of Ukraine.”

The state Office for Refugees and Immigrants will work alongside the federal officers to assist Ukrainian refugees, Baker said.

Businesses show support

Some businesses whose bottom lines haven't been directly affected by the crisis have stepped up to support Ukraine by raising money, making donations or selling products to raise awareness.

LBC Boston, a developer with several projects in downtown Quincy, had raised more than $20,000 for the nonprofit organization Sunflower of Peace as of last week. The company's two principals are known around the city as "The Russians," but one of the principals, Andrian Shapiro, and a number of LBC employees are actually Ukrainian.

Margarita Kvacheva, CEO of LBC, said the company has secured a matching contribution from Temple B'Nai Moshe in Brighton and will give Ukrainian employees paid time off to volunteer for the organization.

"Honestly, every dollar counts,. We had donations as little as $5 and some that were over $1,000. ... I did not expect to receive so much support," Kvacheva said. "We've had people just call and ask if they could volunteer their time or help in any way. We had people who are willing to order and drop off food for some of the employees who've been volunteering. I mean, it's just been incredible to see how much kindness there is in the world. These are very uncertain times."

Ron Goodwin, owner of Goodwin Graphics and a resident of Cohasset, is using his business to sell shirts with a Ukrainian flag and a raised fist on the front.

The shirts sell for $20, a discount of $5, so the customer can donate the remaining $5 to a foundation of their choosing. Goodwin is encouraging them to donate to UNICEF.

"We want to see as many people wearing the shirts, and hopefully we won't be making them next week because the conflict will be over," Goodwin said.

Others, such a Joby Norton, of Mullaney's Fish Market in Scituate and Cohasset, and Kathleen Leonard, a Marshfield resident, are hosting donation drives.

Leonard will be collecting donations on Sunday, March 13, from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. at The Marshfield Elks Lodge,1321 Ocean St. She said she has no personal connection to Ukraine, but after watching the news and seeing TikTok videos from Ukrainian citizens, she felt a need to act. Medical supplies, health and beauty products and baby formula are all needed. The donations will be given to Sunflower of Peace.

Norton, who is half Ukrainian, grew up attending a school for Ukrainian culture in Jamaica Plain every Saturday. He returned to St. Andrew Ukrainian Orthodox Church last weekend and, upon seeing a donation collection, decided to join the cause.

He is collecting blankets, towels, thermal underwear, socks, children's clothes, baby formula, diapers, flashlights and other items. They can be dropped off at Mullaney's Fish Market in Scituate, 8 Allen Place.

"It's very simple for people to do a good, easy thing to help. All the help, any little bit of help, can go a long way for someone in need," Norton said. "There's a tremendous amount of people in need right now."

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Material from USA Today was used in this report. Reporter Wheeler Cowperthwaite contributed to this report. Reach Alyssa Fell at afell@patriotledger.com.

This article originally appeared on The Patriot Ledger: War in Ukraine reverberates all the way to South Shore businesses