Iconic Beacon, NY Treat Shop Closes Doors After Decades

The latest long-time Beacon, New York business to shut down will be sorely missed.

One of the last remaining old-school Beacon businesses has now closed, leaving the city almost unrecognizable to anyone who grew up in the Hudson Valley over the past few decades.

Iconic restaurants and businesses like Max's On Main, Big Vinny's, Homespun Foods, Tito Santana Taqueria, The Vault and The Mud Club are all but memories now. More recently, The Kitchen Sink Supper Club, Stella's Fine Market, and Ember and Grain Bakery also shut their doors. Most of these businesses have cited rising rents as the reason for closing, as real estate prices have skyrocketed thanks to the influx of wealthy tourists who have dubbed Beacon "Brooklyn North."

Now, another local favorite is closed, and this one really hurts.

Beacon, NY Treat Shop Closes After Two Decades

Over 19 years ago, Steven Astorino put his culinary experience to work opening up one of Beacon's most iconic storefronts. After graduating from culinary school, Astorino worked at major hotels in New York City and Miami before creating an innovative frozen dessert company.

The business initially catered to restaurants whose chefs wanted to offer their diners a signature quality ice cream. Eventually, it led to the opening of Zora Dora's Micro Batch at 201 Main Street in Beacon.

Zora Dora's no-frills shop featured a simple freezer that displayed the day's freshly made ice cream pops. Utilizing local fresh fruits and dairy ingredients, the pops were a decadent treat that became a "must have" for visitors to the city. The ice cream treats came in traditional flavor combinations as well as unique concoctions using ingredients like lavender, honey, chili peppers, scallions and curry.

Why Did Zora Dora's Close its Beacon, New York Store?

Astorino tells us that closing Zora Dora's was a "very personal thing". He explains that he was never interested in the business aspect of the store, but rather the joy of having a creative outlet for something that he was good at and truly enjoyed.

According to Astorino, once the cost of doing business became less joyful, he knew it was time to move on. The business owner cites monetary issues and personal time as reasons for closing Zora Dora's at the end of the summer.

It remains unclear whether we will ever get to enjoy Zora Dora's unique micro-batch ice cream again. The frozen treat maker said he wishes he could "pop" up again somewhere else, but cited time and space as two concerns.

But if that day does come, you can be sure that I'll be one of the first people in line for a Muddy Hudson Coffee pop.