to deal in spirits
酤 centers on the commercial trade of alcoholic drinks: dealing in spirits, buying or selling liquor.
酤 combines 酉 (sake jar, alcohol) with 古, which likely contributes the sound. The character originally referred to trading in alcoholic beverages.
The left side 酉 is a sake jar, and the right side 古 suggests something old. Picture an old-fashioned liquor store where they deal in aged spirits.
For コ, imagine a liquor dealer calling out 'Co-co!' to attract customers: Co -> コ, and the sake jar 酉 is full of spirits to sell.