Future Victory Building
THE VICTORY BUILDING:
Community
Through Spirits and Culture
The Victory Building is intentional.“ This is the theater,” he said.“ It pays homage to all of that culture.”
The $ 6 million development is funded through CRA support, private capital and bank financing. It will include a full-scale distillery, an upscale restaurant led by Harvey’ s son( a culinary trained chef), a cigar bar, rooftop lounge, and flexible event space for cultural, social and business gatherings. When it opens, Old Sistrunk Distillery will be the first Black-owned distillery in Florida— a milestone that underscores both the scale of the investment and its broader cultural significance. Harvey emphasizes that the space will also serve as a platform for workforce development, offering training in distillation, marketing, hospitality, entrepreneurship and community programming.“ We’ ll hire people from the community, teach the marketing side, the business side, how to make spirits,” he said.“ There’ s a lot we can do in that space.”
While the venue is poised to become a cultural destination, Harvey remains focused on brand building. Victor George Spirits produces several lines, including Victor George Vodka, a rapidly growing caramel vodka created by his daughter, and Fort Mosé Bourbon, the company’ s top-selling product nationwide. Fort Mose Bourbon draws inspiration from the history of Fort Mose in St. Augustine, the first legally sanctioned free Black settlement in what is now the United States. Harvey chose the name to elevate historical narratives, not simply as branding.“ Every great bourbon needs a great story,” he said.“ And every story needs a storyteller.”
VOLUME II 2025 | 21 |