‘Fox in the Fall’: Local coffee shop makes college students feel welcome during fall semester

Grace DeRolph
Thu, 20 Oct 2022 01:41:01 +0000
Arts & Life, Best of OSU, food & drink, Instagram Page, News, arts and life, best coffee, cafe, coffee, cold brew latte, fox in the snow, fox in the snow cafe, italian village, lantern arts, Ohio, ohio state, ohio state lantern, Pumpkin spice latte, The Lantern

Fox in the Snow is one of the most popular cafes in Columbus with artisan-style drinks and a variety of fresh pastries and other treats. Credit: Ris Twigg | Lantern File Photo

As the leaves start changing, the coffee starts brewing.

With three locations in and around Columbus, the rush of autumnal coffee drinkers is a familiar sight for local coffee shop Fox in the Snow.

Fox in the Snow, currently open weekdays from 7 a.m. to 3 p.m. and weekends and holidays from 8 a.m. to 3 p.m., is a rustic-style cafe known for its pastries, coffee beverages and comfortable atmosphere.

Although coffee shops are traditionally popular places to study, Chloe Mehan, cafe manager for all three Fox in the Snow locations, said the coffee shop allows students to relax and recharge.

“With a lack of wifi and outlets, there’s no pressure to study or work,” Mehan said. “You can meet with friends, enjoy a nice beverage and some decadent food and just be present in that moment.”

Mehan said she has noticed a distinctly younger crowd at the Italian Village location of Fox in the Snow — the closest to Ohio State’s campus — than at its other locations, which she said she appreciates.

“Fox in the Snow offers college students a place to gather. We’ve seen so many first dates, families, meetings and friends,” Mehan said. “The coffee and pastries are great, but they’re a lead-in to so much more. In my opinion, the foundation of Fox in the Snow has always been about fostering personal connections and community.”

For its first time, Fox in the Snow has brought a pumpkin spice latte into its fall specials, along with an apple crostata, a type of apple pie. Mehan said she believes these two flavors will become popular among Ohio State students.

“I think definitely when the weather starts to cool down, people start looking for a hot beverage and a cozy place to hang out, so I think the two definitely correlate,” Mehan said.

Wyatt Smith, a barista at the Italian Village location and longtime Fox in the Snow employee, said he is continually amazed by the work done at Fox in the Snow, and it shows through the business’s popularity.

“I tell some of the customers and some of the staff sometimes I can’t believe just the raw scale that we turn out, especially on weekends, with how many uniquely first-time customers we get who travel seemingly unreachable distances to come,” Smith said. “I’ve worked here about four-and-a-half years [at the Italian Village location], nine consecutively [at Fox in the Snow], and I was here when there was still just one shop. The product and what we do everyday is almost automated when you have a good staff.”

Despite its early hours, Fox in the Snow often sees lines wrapping around the building. However, Smith said he tries not to let the volume of customers overwhelm him.

“It’s really just trying to turn and burn and not really being bogged down by just the line out the door,” Smith said.

Along with fall specials, the cafe’s menu includes an extensive list of coffee drinks — including lattes and cappuccinos as well as tea options — such as chai tea lattes and hot tea beverages — according to its website. To go along with a drink, the menu has a variety of pastries — including scones, biscuits, tarts and cakes.

Although the food and drinks entice customers, Mehan said she hopes Fox in the Snow is able to provide an experience that keeps them coming back.

“We focus on super-quality customer service and aesthetics,” Mehan said. “People love coming to a shop where they feel welcome and where it’s a nice environment to be in.”