NEW VENTURE IN A.V. IS OLD SCHOOL BUSINESS ROOTED IN FAMILY'S PAST.

Byline: PATRICK ST. MICHEL Special to the Daily News

PALMDALE -- Miguel Rios believes his future is firmly planted in his past. That's why Rios, who has lived in the Antelope Valley for nearly 20 years, recently launched USDR International Import/Export to import cigars, coffee, spices, and gift items from the Dominican Republic.

Although his company is new, Rios isn't a stranger to this industry, as his great-grandfather, grandfather and father all have roots as tobacco and coffee growers in the Dominican Republic.

``I learned from my father; he learned from his father, who had learned from his father,'' Rios said. ``I'm proud of this history -- that's three generations.''

``I think it's important for customers to know that there's a whole history behind why I got into this business,'' Rios said.

Rios, who also works as a security guard at Highland High School, was born in the Dominican Republic's capital city of Santa Domingo in 1959. Three years later, his family immigrated to the United States, but the Palmdale resident still visits his native country frequently.

``I've made three trips to the Dominican Republic this year,'' he said. ``It's really intriguing.''

Rios also believes that his familiarity with the Dominican Republic sets his business apart from similar ventures.

``I've actually been out to the tobacco fields and talked to the growers,'' he said. ``I know precisely where my products are coming from. I'm not a third or fourth party, so I can guarantee the quality of the products I'm bringing in.''

Rios' products are currently available online. Although orders will be placed electronically, Rios plans to provide a personal touch.

Rios will personally deliver all orders within a 30-mile radius of his Palmdale home. Customers will also receive free T-shirts.

``I'm going to stick with tradition and offer products that are 100 percent natural,'' he said. ``I want my business to be much more personalized and to reflect the old world craftsmanship still found in the Dominican Republic.''

Among the products he's been importing, Rios suspects that the Caoba cigars will be the most popular.

``Caoba is the original tobacco plant in the Western Hemisphere,'' he said. ``With our cigars, we're going back to the basics. We're trying to revive the long-standing tradition of the Caoba tobacco plant.''

While Rios hopes USDR International becomes a prosperous company, upholding family tradition is an equally important measure of success.

``There was this whole heritage I never before took seriously,'' he said. ``For me, it was a sense of being connected to these unique tobacco and coffee products and my family's rich history.''

Visit USDR International Import/Export at www.usdrimports.com or call Miguel Rios at [phone].