On Tuesday, The Pony Expresso, a popular coffee shop on Railroad Avenue, closed its doors after five years in business.

Owner Teresa Howell said closing the shop was a hard decision, but she wants to spend time on other pursuits.

“I’ll miss my customers, the kids from the high school, and being involved in the community,” she said. “It’s a sad day. It was a successful business.”

She has not decided on whether to put the business up for sale.

“The Pony” was famous for its specialty coffees, baked goods, burritos, soups and sandwiches, all homemade by Howell. The shop held annual Halloween Parties for the kids, and was always decked out for Christmas, winning the local decoration contest.

In 2015, the coffee shop was named Business of the Year by the Dolores Chamber of Commerce.

Howell said she will stay in the area and continue her work as a bookkeeper and wildlife photographer. You can view her work at Manta Photo Works.