Port Jefferson's Torte Jeff Pie Co. & Bakery closes
The brisket pie at Torte Jeff Pie Co. in Port Jefferson. Credit: Yvonne Albinowski
Thanksgiving is bittersweet this year for Port Jefferson’s Lisa Harris, who is closing her Torte Jeff Pie Co. & Bakery after the holiday following five years serving pies, cookies, cakes and doughnuts.
Harris said she saw a roughly 30% decline in sales over the last two years, which she attributed to a decline in foot traffic in Port Jefferson and the shifting economy. The shop's last day in business was yesterday.
"I don’t think that people can afford to spend so much money on luxury items, and I think luxury baked goods are something that people are cutting back on, especially if they’re struggling to just buy groceries," Harris said.
Torte Jeff Pie Co. & Bakery opened in 2019 in Port Jefferson at 218 East Main Street, which was previously an artisan market featuring the work of local artists and entrepreneurs. Throughout the pandemic though, the space became more than just a pastry shop.
"We were basically an essential grocery store for our local community," Harris said. "We had produce and dairy and whatever was needed to take care of the community so that people felt comfortable coming into a small space instead of having to go into a large grocery store and so that solidified our place in the village."
While the local customer base was "strong," Harris said, "it was the lack of the tourism that really impacted the business the most."
Melissa Azofeifa is a restaurants reporter with Newsday's FeedMe team. Having grown up on Long Island, she loves talking about food and its impact on culture. A graduate of Stony Brook University, she joined Newsday in the fall of 2024.
