About HeckYA!
Hi, I’m Billy West — the guy behind HeckYA!
I’ve always loved the food industry. Back in college, I worked as a server during several restaurant grand openings, and even though I wasn’t the best at it, I fell in love with the energy.
There’s something about that constant buzz people coming and going, good food being made fast, and the place feeling alive.
When I sold my plastics company over in Campbell, I knew I wanted to get back to that feeling — the sense of building something real with my own two hands. But this time, I wanted it to mean more. I wanted to do something that gave back to the neighborhoods people had stopped paying attention to. That’s how HeckYA! started — in a bright red and yellow shipping container, right here on McCartney Road in Youngstown.
From Youngstown, For Youngstown.
I was born in Campbell, just next door to Youngstown, and I’ve spent most of my life right here in the Valley. I’ve been all over the world, but nowhere else compares to the food we have here in Youngstown. Around here, you can’t serve bad food and expect people to come back — folks know what tastes good. I wanted to build a place that matched that standard: big flavor, fast service, and honest food made the right way.
My wife, Yukari, has been beside me from the start — preparing, cooking, and serving the food that keeps people coming back. She puts her heart into every chili dog, burger, and order of fries that leaves our window. For us, HeckYA! isn’t just a restaurant — it’s a way to feed and serve the community we care about.
Why “HeckYA!”?
The name came easy. I pictured a family driving down the road, seeing a sign that said “Chili Dogs Next Exit.” Somebody in that car would say, “How about chili dogs?” and the other would shout, “Heck yeah!” — and that’s exactly the kind of reaction I wanted.
The colors? Ketchup and mustard — bold, bright, and hard to miss, just like the flavors we serve. We built HeckYA! to stand out, to bring joy, and to remind people that good food doesn’t need to be fancy. It just needs to be real, made with care, and served with a smile.
Stop By Anytime.
We’re proud to call Youngstown home, and we’re thankful for every customer who pulls up to our window. Whether you’re grabbing coffee on your way to work or dinner after a long day, we’ll be here cooking up something good — and when it hits just right, we hope you’ll say it too… HeckYA!