By Patricia Measer
Group Ther-Happy is a popular restaurant and bar in the Historic District of Lakewood Village. The play on the term “group therapy” is fitting. Groups can come and enjoy the pizza and pub fare in a relaxed atmosphere, with occasional live music. The owner, Michelle Turner, just celebrated the fifth anniversary of the restaurant’s opening in Lakewood on St. Patrick’s Day. Considering that most new businesses do not make it 5 years, let alone 1 year, the milestone is quite an accomplishment. When asked what she attributes her success to, Michelle said several important factors play into it. One is to be able to keep changing as needed. “I think there are always things that you come across day to day that you are forever changing, improving upon or modifying…it’s just the nature of the beast,” says Michelle. “I feel I 
am always learning, but a big key to success is to surround yourself with a ‘key’ team of employees… My motto has always been, ‘you don’t work for me, you work with me.’ And I truly feel that way. Our current team is amazing!” Changes can be seen in the menu from where it started 5 years ago. “I like that we have ‘simplified’ the menu and worked hard to streamline as much as we can so we can offer a great diverse menu for all ages,” Michelle notes. “There truly is something for everyone on our menu. Last summer we partnered with Millie’s Ice Cream out of Pittsburgh… their ice cream is the best and I am hoping to build that following up this summer with an earlier head start.” She has also added a Brunch every weekend on both Saturday and Sunday. Michelle stated that the growth and expansion of the menu comes from several areas: Listening to the customers and what they would like to see available; pulling in some of the “comfort” foods she grew up with such as the stuffed peppers; and “watching the trends in the industry and figuring out what is popular yet at the same time, what you are able to execute and keep the customers coming back for.” Another factor in her success is having an overall goal for the atmosphere and adapting to meet that goal year over year. “The goal is always to offer great food and a social atmosphere that people talk about,” says Michelle. “It’s a ‘Cheers’ kind of concept, where everyone knows your name and You can see Michelle’s creative influence in the decor, including colorful paintings, funny signs, and a unique limestone countertop. There is also a Selfie machine that lets you take your own photos with various backgrounds, and then will email or text those photos to you. And let’s not forget the name of the restaurant. people come to feel good and make memories.” You can see Michelle’s creative influence in the decor, including colorful paintings, funny signs, and a unique limestone countertop. There is also a Selfie machine that lets you take your own photos with various backgrounds, and then will email or text those photos to you. And let’s not forget the name of the restaurant. Michelle found a place named ‘Group Therapy’ during her many years of travel, and thought that would be great name to use if she ever opened her own place. But, when it came time to do just that, she found out another establishment in New York already had that name. Ever creative, she changed it up, and ‘Group Ther-Happy’ with the ‘Y’ being a tipped martini glass was born. Another clever touch is the take-home pizza box with the saying, ‘Let’s take this back to your place.’ “Creativity is key,” Michelle stated. “My first year I was fortunate enough to attend my first International Pizza Convention in Las Vegas with Peter Kreinheder from EBC in Ellicottville. Peter has taught me a lot and continues to be one of my ‘go-to’s’ when I need to reach out for some expert advice. It was at the initial convention that I stopped to meet with a vendor for the pizza boxes. His many displays were overwhelming, but it gave me several ideas for a branded theme for our pizza boxes and it is a perfect fit!” The location at 103 Chautauqua Avenue in the Historic District of Lakewood, NY has been a boon for Michelle. “We have many customers come by car, foot and even by boat,” she points out. “Many people don’t know that there are public dock slips down at the Lakewood Beach, so I am hoping that word spreads even more this coming summer.” When asked where she sees the restaurant in another 5 years, Michelle replied, “I see us still here and stronger than ever with the help of our team and our customers. My hope is that our customers see us as a family friendly place for all ages… A place to come on a sunny day and enjoy our outside patio and brunch on the weekends…a place where they can’t wait to return!” For more information, visit their website at https://www. groupther-happy.com/ or Facebook, /grouptherhappy