Happy's Pizza
{{Short description|American chain restaurant}}
{{Infobox company
| name = Happy's Pizza Holdings, LLC.
| logo = File:Happy's Pizza logo.png
| logo_size =
| image = Happys Pizza Ypsilanti Twp. Michigan.JPG
| image_caption = A Happy's Pizza in Ypsilanti Township, Michigan.
| type = Private
| foundation = Detroit, Michigan ({{start date and age|1994}})
| founder = Happy Asker
| location = Farmington Hills, Michigan, U.S.
| key_people = Maher Bashi, COO
| industry = Restaurant
| products = {{flatlist|
}}
| locations = 65+
| homepage = {{URL|happyspizza.com}}
}}
Happy's Pizza is an American regional chain of restaurants, serving pizza, ribs, chicken, seafood, sandwiches, pasta and salad.{{cite news|url=https://www.mlive.com/greatlakesbay/2010/01/happys_pizza_plans_to_open_res.html|title=Happy's Pizza plans to open restaurant on Saginaw's West Side|last=Lynch-Morin|first=Kathryn|date=January 21, 2010|website=The Saginaw News|access-date=February 26, 2010}}{{cite news|url=https://www.cleveland.com/metro/2010/02/happys_pizza_aims_to_keep_cust.html|title=Happy's Pizza aims to keep customers and job seekers in good spirits|last=Donaldson|first=Stan|date=February 4, 2010|website=Cleveland.com|publisher=Cleveland Live, Inc|access-date=27 February 2010}}
History
The first Happy's Pizza restaurant was opened by Happy Asker in 1994 on the east side of Detroit.{{cite web|first=Melissa|last=Burden|url=https://www.mlive.com/flintjournal/onthetable/2008/02/pizzerias_stake_claims_in_flint_area.html |title=Pizzerias stake claims in Flint area |website=MLive |date=2008-02-18 |access-date=2010-06-01}} From 2006 to early 2008, the chain doubled in size and reached 27 locations.{{cite web|url=http://www.pizzamarketplace.com/article.php?id=9917&prc=182&page=189 |title=Happy's Pizza continues expansion drive | Operations |publisher=Pizza Marketplace |date=2008-02-19 |access-date=2010-06-01 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100208133644/http://pizzamarketplace.com/article.php?id=9917&prc=182&page=189 |archive-date=February 8, 2010}}
Now the chain has more than 65 locations in Michigan, Nevada, California and Ohio.{{cite web|url=https://www.happyspizza.com/locations/ |title=Locations Archive - Happy's Pizza |website=Happy's Pizza |access-date=January 28, 2020}} The pizzerias are known for their granite counter tops, Venetian plaster on their walls and the neon signs in and outside of the building.{{cite web|url=https://www.happyspizza.com/about/ |title=About Us - Happy's Pizza |website=Happy's Pizza |access-date=January 28, 2020}}
Service of otherwise unserved areas
Fraud convictions
In 2010, federal agents raided the company's headquarters.{{cite web|first1=Scott|last1=Lewis|first2=Ross|last2=Jones|first3=Ann|last3=Mullen|title=Happy's Pizza headquarters raided by IRS criminal division, DEA|url=https://www.wxyz.com/dpp/homepage_showcase/happy's-pizza-headquarters-raided-by-irs-criminal-division,-dea|website=WXYZ.com|date=September 1, 2010|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120128124350/https://www.wxyz.com/dpp/homepage_showcase/happy's-pizza-headquarters-raided-by-irs-criminal-division%2C-dea|archive-date=January 28, 2012|access-date=January 28, 2020}} On July 16, 2013, Happy Asker and five other shareholders were indicted on counts of fraud and tax evasion. The Office of the United States Attorney for the Eastern District of Michigan alleged Asker and the others came up with a scheme to under-report taxable income and payroll taxes from $2.1 million in wages from more than 50 Happy's Pizza locations in Michigan, Ohio, Indiana and elsewhere. They were charged with conspiracy to defraud the U.S. government, filing false income tax returns, and corrupt endeavor to obstruct IRS laws. The defendants charged with conspiracy faced up to five years in prison and a $25,000 fine. Those charged with filing false tax returns and obstruction faced to three years in prison and a $250,000 fine on each count.{{cite web|first=Mitch|last=Hotts|url=https://www.theoaklandpress.com/news/reports-happy-s-pizza-founder-others-indicted-for-fraud-tax/article_8d723050-b4fa-5f56-a3d9-f3e1f7415cbe.html|title=Reports: Happy's Pizza founder, others indicted for fraud, tax evasion|work=The Oakland Press|date=July 16, 2013|access-date=January 28, 2020|archive-date=January 28, 2020|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200128224317/https://www.theoaklandpress.com/news/reports-happy-s-pizza-founder-others-indicted-for-fraud-tax/article_8d723050-b4fa-5f56-a3d9-f3e1f7415cbe.html|url-status=dead}} In July 2015, Asker was found guilty on all charges and was sentenced to over four years in prison and ordered to pay $2.5 million in restitution. The other four pleaded guilty. Maher Bashi, the pizza chain's chief operating officer, was sentenced to two years in prison and ordered to pay $620,297. Two franchisees were given prison sentences, while a third received three years probation.{{cite web | url=https://www.detroitnews.com/story/news/local/wayne-county/2015/07/10/happys-pizza-founder-sentenced-four-years-federal-prison/29984413/ | title=Happy's Pizza founder gets 4 years in federal prison | website=The Detroit News | date=July 10, 2015 | access-date=17 October 2015 | author=Robert Snell}}
See also
{{Portal bar|Michigan|Companies|Food}}
References
{{Reflist}}
External links
{{Pizza chains}}
Category:1994 establishments in Michigan
Category:Companies based in Oakland County, Michigan
Category:Economy of the Midwestern United States
Category:Farmington Hills, Michigan
Category:Pizza chains of the United States
Category:Regional restaurant chains in the United States