Chapter 1
The Origin
OUR STORY · BEVMAX
“Every great cigar begins in the soil.
Ours began with a basketball.”
Some stories begin in a boardroom. Ours began on a dusty field in the Dominican Republic, with a group of men from Connecticut handing out second-hand sports equipment to children who lit up with a joy that money couldn’t manufacture.
Those trips — two every year, for years — were never about cigars. They were about something far simpler: the idea that you could cross an ocean and leave a small piece of yourself behind. What we didn’t know was that the Dominican Republic had a gift to give back.
20+
YEARS IN DOMINICAN TOBACCO
2×/yr
CHARITY TRIPS TO DR
300+
PREMIUM SKUs
#1
CT-ROOTED CIGAR WHOLESALER
01 / THE ORIGIN
How a Cedar Street vision became Connecticut's favourite
BevMax opened its doors in Stamford, Connecticut in 1995 with a belief that sounded simple but proved transformational: that the finest wines, spirits, and beers in the world deserved a retail home that matched their quality — and that the customer deserved to pay a fair price for them. That first store on Cedar Street became a destination, not just a shop.
The yellow oval logo, now familiar to every Fairfield County household, was drawn to signal energy and value. We were not a stuffy wine boutique or a discount off-licence. We were a superstore — vast selection, expert staff, family values. Connecticut had never seen anything quite like it.
The yellow oval logo, now familiar to every Fairfield County household, was drawn to signal energy and value. We were not a stuffy wine boutique or a discount off-licence. We were a superstore — vast selection, expert staff, family values. Connecticut had never seen anything quite like it.
02 / THE EXPERTISE
From wine and spirits to a complete lifestyle category
For decades, BevMax’s reputation was built on depth of selection and knowledgeable staff. Our team helped customers find the perfect wedding wine, the single malt for a special occasion, the craft beer for a backyard party. We delivered to the front door. We were the anti-supermarket — personal, expert, reliable.
When our customers started asking for premium cigars to accompany their bourbon and rum selections, we listened. In 2024, we brought in master blender Rolando Villami of the Cibao Valley, Dominican Republic, and the John Starks #3 Signature Series to complete the picture. BevMax is now the only destination in Fairfield County where you can find a world-class spirits selection and a curated premium cigar portfolio under one roof.
When our customers started asking for premium cigars to accompany their bourbon and rum selections, we listened. In 2024, we brought in master blender Rolando Villami of the Cibao Valley, Dominican Republic, and the John Starks #3 Signature Series to complete the picture. BevMax is now the only destination in Fairfield County where you can find a world-class spirits selection and a curated premium cigar portfolio under one roof.
03 / THE NAME
BevMax — because we believe in the maximum
The name BevMax was chosen deliberately: Beverage Maximum. We believed then, and believe now, that every category of beverage deserves to be taken to its highest possible expression. Not the cheapest, not the most expensive, but the best for the price — selected with knowledge and offered with integrity.
That philosophy now extends to cigars. Every stick in our portfolio has been personally tasted, graded, and approved by our team. If it doesn’t meet our standard, it doesn’t carry our name.
That philosophy now extends to cigars. Every stick in our portfolio has been personally tasted, graded, and approved by our team. If it doesn’t meet our standard, it doesn’t carry our name.
04 / THE COMMUNITY
Stamford and the 50+ businesses that trust us
BevMax has always been a Stamford institution first and a business second. We sponsor local events, support small restaurants through our venue program, and have built long-term relationships with more than 50 B2B wholesale accounts across Connecticut.
When we launched the cigar program, those existing relationships became our first customers — restaurateurs who wanted to add a cigar menu, golf clubs looking for a signature experience, hoteliers who understood the value of a world-class welcome. The trust was already there. We just brought it something new.
When we launched the cigar program, those existing relationships became our first customers — restaurateurs who wanted to add a cigar menu, golf clubs looking for a signature experience, hoteliers who understood the value of a world-class welcome. The trust was already there. We just brought it something new.
05 / THE MISSION, STILL
Two trips a year. Every year.
Since the very beginning, our team has made two trips per year to the Dominican Republic. Not buying trips. Not sales meetings. Trips to volunteer, to support local schools, to play basketball with kids who have never been to Connecticut but somehow know exactly who we are.
The cigars we bring back carry that story in every draw. When you light a BevMax cigar, you are connected to the Cibao Valley — to the farmers, the blenders, and the children who inspired everything we do.
The cigars we bring back carry that story in every draw. When you light a BevMax cigar, you are connected to the Cibao Valley — to the farmers, the blenders, and the children who inspired everything we do.
06 / CONNECTICUT PROUD
Connecticut is where I built my life
Connecticut is not just where we operate. It is where we live, where our families are, where we have watched our customers’ children grow up and come back to buy their own bourbon and their own cigars.
“Connecticut is where I built my life. And now it’s where I share the thing I love most about the Dominican Republic — one cigar at a time.” That is the BevMax promise: the world’s best tobacco, rooted in Connecticut values.
“Connecticut is where I built my life. And now it’s where I share the thing I love most about the Dominican Republic — one cigar at a time.” That is the BevMax promise: the world’s best tobacco, rooted in Connecticut values.
Ready to experience the legend?
Browse our full cigar collection or open a wholesale account today.
2004
Founded
CT
Based in Stamford
300+
Premium SKUs
2×
Annual DR Trips