Capital City Sweets is flush with dough

When four local 20-somethings saw a post about Lansing Built to Last, a local startup competition launched in response to the pandemic, they got together and created a tasty business proposal.  

Co-owners Kaitlyn Youngblood, Patrick Kayser, Stephen Van Nada and Paul Mooney pitched their idea of Capital City Sweets, a dessert shop specializing in cookie dough. Although they did not win the competition, the entrepreneurs are still celebrating because that idea is now a reality.  

Tuesday (May 24), Capital City Sweets celebrated its grand opening at 112 S. Washington Square, in downtown Lansing’s Middle Village Micro-Market, a shared spot located in Downtown Lansing Inc.’s office space. 

Inspired by an edible cookie dough company out of New York, customers can choose from an assortment of flavors, including vanilla, chocolate, peanut butter cup and M&M. 

“All of our dough is made with no eggs, no dairy and no tree nuts,” Youngblood explained. “It’s nice to have a very inclusive ingredients list that all kinds of people can enjoy regardless of your diet restrictions.” 

The shop’s inventory, which is prepared and packaged at the Allen Neighborhood Center, also offers original chocolate chip cookie dough as well as a gluten-friendly flavor, cookies and cream, which is available in 2-ounce balls, a six pack, or 8-ounce self-serve cups. Online ordering is also available. 

The owners were pleased with the turnout of state workers and curious passerbyers at its May 17 soft opening.

“We wanted to soft-launch on 517 “day” — we figured that was great for our brand,” Youngblood said. “We are all local to Lansing, and our whole thing is wanting to bring life back into Lansing.” 

In the near future, the enterprising team aims to expand its menu to include homemade ice cream, pies and other specialty desserts. They envision flavors named after Lansing-area landmarks, and look forward to customer input for flavor ideas. Another long-term goal: opening a stand-alone Capital City Sweets storefront. 

Capital City Sweets is the first retail business in the portfolio of the owners’ Capital Point Investments company, which hosted the Lansing Alive Festival last year. The budding investment group’s website boasts that it’s “ready to emerge as one of Lansing's most impactful” commercial real estate development firms. For them, cookie dough is just the beginning.  

“We’re all in our 20s and full of ideas and businesses we think could really thrive in Lansing,” Kayser said.