Andrew Fisher & Lorena Ascencios

Teaches at Santa Monica College

Andy Fisher has been President of Astor Wines & Spirits for over 30 years. When he started in 1971, it was a small shop in the middle of Astor Place. In 1980 he expanded to the corner of Astor Place and Lafayette Street, and in 2006 he moved the store to its current location on Lafayette and East 4th Streets. This latest expansion allowed him to add Astor Center, creating an educational complement to the extensive offerings of Astor Wines & Spirits. Located just upstairs from the store, Astor Center is designed to educate customers in all things related to wine, spirits, and food; its slogan is, simply, “Eat. Drink. Think.” In his spare time, Andy is an NCAA soccer referee.


In 1998, Lorena Ascencios began working for Astor Wines & Spirits. Starting in a sales position, she was promoted to assistant wine buyer within the year. In 2000, Lorena took a sabbatical to Europe, where she worked harvest and taught, an experience that would prove fundamental to her growth at Astor. Shortly after her return, she became Astor’s wine buyer, a position she has held ever since. Philosophically, Lorena believes that the hardest part of her job is finding the finest everyday wines for her everyday patrons, real wines, like what the local winemakers would drink on an average evening in Piedmont. She lives and works in New York City with her husband and two daughters.