Owner and pastry chef Stephanie Fischer studied pastry at Forest Part before opening Comet Coffee
By: Christina Perkins
Staff Writer
It’s no wonder that locally owned Comet Coffee attracts so many students. Its two locations, one on Woodbine near Meramec, the other near the Forest Park campus, make it a quick jaunt from each campus for students to get their caffeine fix.
Comet Coffee opened in 2012, and while the appeal of coffee in close proximity to STLCC students is no mystery, some might be surprised to learn that Comet Coffee’s pastry chef and owner, Stephanie Fischer, got her start at STLCC. The Forest Park campus offers a baking and pastry program, where Fischer studied her craft in preparation for opening her own shop with partner and co-owner Mark Attwood.
Comet Coffee employee Francis Ladish has worked at Comet Coffee for four years and says he really enjoys it.
“We carry coffee from roasters from all over the country. We have coffee here that people don’t have immediate access to in the St. Louis area,” said Ladish. “The coffee comes all the way from Denver, San Francisco, Wisconsin, even some from out of the country like Vancouver and Norway.”
According to Ladish, what makes Comet Coffee special is the quality of the baked goods.
Everything at Comet Coffee is made with local, quality ingredients. In fact, the farmers and producers are listed on a board in the shop so that everyone can see where everything is from. Ladish said many students take advantage of the fresh pastries and coffee offered in the shop.
“Every year it seems like we get a new crowd of students from the community college,” said Ladish.
The flagship store, Comet Coffee and Microbakery, is located at 5708 Oakland Avenue. Their second store, Comet Croissanterie and Creamery, is located at 640 West Woodbine Avenue.
