Croissants de France Opens Stock Island location

BY TERRY SCHMIDA

For decades, a craving for a mouth-watering pastry or sandwich from Croissants de France could only be satisfied by a trip to the bustling, parking-free zone of Duval Street.

But for the past two months, the restaurant/bakery/coffee shop’s epicurean delights have been available at a new location far handier to the vast majority of Key Westers.

“Stock Island is closer to where the biggest population of Key Westers live,” said employee Genevieve Sabatier, who is originally from Bordeaux, France. “There are a lot of working people out here, so it’s a great place for a coffee shop This new location is an extension of our business in Key West, but we’ve also moved all our production out here. We have all new equipment, to serve both our retail and wholesale customers.”

The tastefully appointed new location, at 5620 McDonald Ave., features the same tuna, roast beef, and curry chicken sandwiches, quiches, and French cakes, beignets, and tarts, customers have come to love at the downtown location. Plus, there’s the added convenience of free parking, and a cozy outside dining area, to enjoy the restaurant’s Gallic fare.

“It’s something different for Stock Island,” said principal owner Phillipe Bullier, who moved to Key West from La Rochelle, France, seven months ago. “We decided that this was a very good business opportunity, so we have invested a lot in new equipment to better provide for our customers in both stores, as well as our wholesale customers at the hotels, and bed-and-breakfasts.”

Croissants de France’s top sellers are still the same: Ham and cheese croissants, and the Fraisier, a French vanilla cake layered with mousseline and fresh strawberries. But both locations continue to sell lots of chocolate mousse, eclairs, and a variety of coffees, teas, and whole baguettes, as well as that ubiquitous French lunch specialty, the croque monsieur.

The management of Croissants de France is also eager to expand its catering presence throughout the Lower Keys.

“We are very happy here, in this new location,” Phillipe Bullier said. “And we are very happy to live in Key West.”