The End of an Era

Wrightsville Beach, NC, February 10, 2026 --(PR.com)-- When Blue Shark Vodka opened its doors in Wrightsville Beach, North Carolina, it was a family dream…..,family-owned, hand-made, meticulously distilled, incredibly smooth to taste, and always fun to enjoy.

The Company’s founder, Mark Bloomquist (a.k.a. Mark the Shark), an honors Naval Academy graduate and former Navy diver said, “Our idea for Blue Shark Vodka grew from our family’s fascination with spirits, especially those with unique packaging and exceptional quality. We sought to create a clear spirit like the waters we love to dive (with a smooth, clean taste). Most importantly, our company was fueled by an over-arching belief that something special could come from the East coast.”

What no one quite expected was that a large part of that dream would ride on four wheels. Born in North Carolina and raised on back roads, highways, and questionable gas stations up and down the East Coast, this legendary “rig” clocked two round trips to the moon (569,211 miles—and somehow still showed up ready to promote the World’s Smoothest Vodka). Painted ocean blue and wrapped in simple yet bold decals on the hood and even a set across the entire back window, this company vehicle quickly earned its nickname: The Shark Cage. It was not just transportation… it was a rolling handshake, a true East coast ambassador for the company’s ultra-premium Blue Shark Vodka brand. From beach towns to big cities, tastings to trade shows, the Shark Cage showed up first and most often left last, carrying display bottles, bars mats, samples, assorted POS, banners, and stories wherever it went. It never complained. It just kept going. Until last week, when metal fatigue finally caught up and the engine gave out, quietly and honestly, like a worker who’d given everything it had.

But make no mistake…there’s no sadness in its passing—only gratitude. The Shark Cage helped build a magnificent Vodka brand, connected a family business to thousands of people, and proved that sometimes success doesn’t start in a boardroom, but on the open road. It survived road rage drivers, tastings, traffic accidents, special deliveries, hurricanes and North Carolina thunderstorms, wrong turns, and conversations laced with Navy superlatives that absolutely should’ve stayed in the Shark Cage.

Though this is the end of an era—the road it paved definitely stretches on. Moreover, as this “exciting” chapter comes to a close, the legend lives on.

Somewhere out at sea as the sun is setting, Mark the Shark is parked on the back of a dive boat, soaking in the fresh air, grinning a wry smile, and finally enjoying a well-earned rest… but knowing him, he’s already asking, “So… where to next kemo sabe.”