About

On January 17, 2018, the next generation of the Fuente family broke ground for a new Arturo Fuente Box Factory in Santiago. The modern 69,000-square-foot facility was designed to support future projects and continued expansion. The ceremony represented both the company’s growth and the transfer of its traditions to a new generation.

On August 25, 2011, a major fire destroyed two large tobacco warehouses belonging to Tabacalera A. Fuente y Cia. in Villa González, near Santiago. Significant inventories of carefully aged tobacco were lost, and nearby storage facilities may also have suffered smoke damage. Despite the devastating loss, the Fuente family remained committed to rebuilding and protecting its legacy.

In 1980, Carlos Fuente and his son Carlito began a new chapter for the family business in the Dominican Republic. On September 4, with their families beside them, they opened Fuente LTD in Santiago. The new factory became the foundation of Arturo Fuente’s Dominican operations and helped establish the company on the international stage.

In the early 1960s, Carlos Fuente purchased a two-story building at the corner of 18th Street and 17th Avenue in Ybor City. The main cigar factory operated on the first floor, while Arturo Sr. and Cristina lived upstairs. As demand increased, Carlos worked late into the night, and the entire family joined him in supporting the growing business.

By 1940, Arturo Fuente Sr. was making cigars with his family in the back of their home in Ybor City. The business remained small and deeply personal, with every family member contributing to the craft. Once his sons, Arturo Oscar and Carlos, were old enough for school, part of their daily routine included rolling 50 cigars each after completing their homework.

In 1912, at just 24 years old, Arturo Fuente founded A. Fuente & Company in West Tampa, Florida. The original factory was located at 813 Francis Street, where every cigar was handmade using Cuban tobacco. This modest beginning marked the start of a family legacy built on craftsmanship, perseverance, and an uncompromising commitment to quality.