05/27/2026
One year ago today, we lost Baldhir Sood, known to so many as "BK," the owner and head of Gardner Liquor, after his battle with cancer.
It is hard to put into words what this past year has felt like. There are moments when it still does not feel real, and moments when we feel BK in everything we do. This photo means more to us than a ribbon cutting. It represents a dream, a sacrifice, and a legacy. Standing together in front of our brand new Gardner Liquor building, with the mayor of Gardner standing beside us, was a moment our family will never forget. Gardner Liquor had been serving our community for years, but this new building represents the next chapter, the continuation of something BK spent his life building and leading with hard work, faith, discipline, and love.
Our family's journey in business began in the early 2000s. Through the years, BK and his wife Jodi put in countless long days and long hours, working and sacrificing to hold onto the dream of one day building a business of their own. That kind of grind and dedication laid the foundation for what would become much more than stores. In the early 2010s, we established our flagship business, Party Time Liquor in Olathe, which became one of our family's greatest points of pride. It was built through long days and late nights, the kind of hours most people never see, rooted in the belief that honest work could create something lasting. BK ran it the way he ran everything, with a steady hand, a watchful eye, and a deep sense of responsibility for the people he served and the family he was building it for. Party Time was never just a business to BK. It was the cornerstone of everything he stood for.
From there, the dream kept growing. In 2017, we opened our second store, Gardner Liquor, in the wonderful town of Gardner, Kansas. A new community, a new beginning, and the chance to serve another town with the same care BK believed in. He oversaw with the same dedication he brought to Party Time, putting in long hours behind the counter and everywhere else it took so we could launch Gardner Liquor right. Gardner Liquor quickly became another chapter in his life's work: a place rooted in family, service, and the connections we built with the people around us.
BK built more than businesses. He built a foundation for a family, a future, and a name we carry with pride. As the head of our family and the man running our businesses, he showed us the value of showing up every day, treating people with respect, working honestly, and never giving up even when life became difficult. He led by example in every single thing he did, putting in long hours year after year so that the people he loved would have something to stand on. Gardner Liquor holds his spirit in every corner, because this place was built with the same vision and strength that guided him throughout his life.
Today, that legacy continues through his wife and business partner, Jodi Sood, who now stands at the helm of Gardner Liquor and runs it with the same love, pride, and commitment BK brought to it. Every day, we do our best to carry forward the values he lived by: take care of people, work hard, stay humble, lead with integrity, and protect what your family built together no matter the challenge.
Even during his battle with cancer, BK showed a courage we will carry with us forever. He kept leading, kept watching over his family, kept fighting for everything he believed in until the very end. His legacy is not only in Party Time Liquor, Gardner Liquor, or the buildings behind us. It is in the family he built, the example he set, the work ethic he passed down, and the love that continues to hold us together every single day.
To our customers and community, thank you for continuing to support Gardner Liquor, Party Time Liquor, and our family. Every visit, every kind word, and every bit of support means more than you know. BK built these places with everything he had, and his spirit still lives in every shelf, every shift, and every day we open the doors.
We miss BK every day. We hope we are making him proud. His love, his sacrifices, his leadership, and his legacy will live on through Jodi, our family, and the businesses he helped build.
