LEWISBURG, Pa. — Baking has always been a passion for Dan MacArthur. Five years ago, he started selling his cookies under the name "The Cookie Dude."
"The art festival in Lewisburg was our first show. We sold 2,400 cookies, and we were launched," MacArthur said.
For the past five years, The Cookie Dude has been primarily an online business. MacArthur baked to order in his kitchen at home. But the business has grown so much that the Dude decided it was time for a storefront in Lewisburg.
"We're back there mixing sugar cookie and snickerdoodle dough in the hopes that people come in and buy it in the four days that we're open."
The brick-and-mortar store opened last week, and MacArthur sold more than 3,000 cookies.
New employee Maggie Heuer was making some snickerdoodles when Newswatch 16 stopped by. She started as a customer.
"Once I heard Dan was going to open a storefront, I just knew that I had to jump on it because it's something to do that I love that I can't do at school."
The gourmet bakery doesn't only sell chocolate chip and oatmeal.
"We make our own powder out of Swedish fish, and we turn that into a cookie. We make our own homemade Oreos and our own buttercream icing for inside of that. We have a cookie we call the Rear Admiral that's covered in Old Bay seasoning and Captain Crunch cereal," MacArthur said.
The Dude is also selling other items, like the ingredients he uses.
"You can weigh out what you want, go home, and try it," MacArthur said.
Customers are encouraged to bring their own containers to reduce waste. The Dude will also sell coffee and other pastries. The Cookie Dude is open Thursday through Sunday in downtown Lewisburg.