It’s a small, quiet coffee shop just a stone’s throw from the highway, yet in the hearts of some patrons, it’s a lot larger.
“You can tell there aren’t 5,000 of them,” said Sara Sutherland, a psychology junior, of The Cappuccino Cafe, 1500 W. Lake Lansing Road.
The cafe, which has been in the area since 1994, has long been a hit among locals.
“We saw a demand in the market,” said Brenda Joseph, co-owner of The Cappuccino Cafe. “At the time there was nothing like this in the area.”
Joseph, along with her sister, Raeann Vogl, started the coffee shop in Okemos in 1992, adjacent to what was then a Barnes & Noble bookstore.
“We wanted a neighborhood feel that made all people feel welcome,” Joseph said.
The coffee shop features brick walls and local art that makes the space feel more comfortable.
“It’s a lot more relaxed than downtown,” said Craig Matisoff, a psychology junior who hails from East Lansing and has been coming to the cafe for years.
“Its pretty easy to find a seat,” he said.
Matisoff said he tried to study at both Beaner’s and The Cornerstone Cafe locations before making the trip to The Cappucino Cafe, yet both were packed.
“There’s an older crowd here that’s not as chatty,” he said. “It’s definitely more conducive to getting work done.”
The relaxed atmosphere is part of what draws the student crowd out to a coffe shop aimed toward a more adult crowd.
“Even during finals week it’s nice,” said Jessica Felker, a communication sciences and disorders senior and employee of The Cappucino Cafe who was studying on her off day. “I don’t have to look for a parking spot like at the library.”
And though the atmosphere is what draws them in, the food and drink is what keeps them coming.
“We take great pride in everything we serve,” Joseph said. “We serve a ton more food than the other places, and everything’s homemade.”
The cafe has 26 different flavored syrups, along with a full menu of sandwiches and pastries. The Cappuccino Cafe even offers a toddy, a specialty not seen at most coffee shops in the area.
The toddy, a favorite in the summer months, is a cold-brewed coffee that puts a concentrated coffee blend over ice and takes the acid out, making it equally strong and smooth.
However, the toddy falls short of what the employees called the most popular drink by far, the caramel cappuccino. The coffee shop has branched out and now has three locations — East Lansing, Okemos at 5100 Marsh Road and a new location in the Boji Towers, 124 W. Allegan St., in downtown Lansing.
In the eyes of one patron, the cafe has one downfall.
“I just wish it was open a little later,” Matisoff said.
Support student media! Please consider donating to The State News and help fund the future of journalism.
