The families behind Stateside Urbancraft Vodka have been doing business in Philadelphia since 2015. Now, Stateside is celebrating Pride Month with a “Love is Love” label based on kinship, connection and welcome.
“We’re a company that is made up of individuals who bring fun and acceptance into our product,” said Zachary Pappas, one of Stateside’s owners, who identifies as LGBTQ.
The company makes vodka using a process of cold-filtering the “cleanest, mineral-enhanced water possible and a corn base with no sugar or carbs,” said Stateside director of operations Jenna Silverman.
Stateside’s Federal Distilling Room — a bar connected to its distillery — opened in 2016 at 1700 N. Hancock St., selling the vodka as well as other spirits, brews and cocktails.
The company also dedicated labels for the Eagles’ Super Bowl victory and plans to issue additional labels for the recognition of veterans’ services and breast cancer. For June’s Pride Month, the hinged bottle and design sporting the rainbow-toned label with the words “Love is Love” “is meant to be reuseable, recyclable and ecofriendly,” said Silverman.
The “love is love” concept runs deep in the operation between two sets of area-based brothers – investors Zachary Pappas and Clement Pappas, and distiller-publicans Matthew and Bryan Quigley. “Our Pride label is a true representation of Stateside’s values,” said Zachary Pappas. “Celebrating Pride to me represents the incredible progress that our community has made over so many years. As an openly gay owner of Stateside and member of Philadelphia’s gay community, I am delighted to bring you Stateside’s support to your favorite restaurants, bars and clubs for this Pride Month and beyond.”