- Grant Saves Local Business: Wilona Young uses the $20,000 Heinz Black Kitchen Initiative Grant to pay off sales tax debt and secure her restaurant’s future.
- Increased Popularity: Chicago House of Hoagies sees a surge in customers from across the Midwest after the grant win.
- Inspiring Resilience: Young overcame financial challenges and continues to serve her community with her thriving hoagie shop in Menasha.
(The following is a transcription of the full broadcast story)
For Wilona Young, owner of the Chicago House of Hoagies, winning a $20,000 grant through the Heinz Black Kitchen Initiative was nothing short of life-changing.
“I’m still in awe. Like, I can’t believe I won. I really won!” Young said, reflecting on her recent win.
Young’s hoagie shop, located near Racine Road and 12th Street, has seen a surge in customers from across the Midwest since the announcement. But just a few months ago, the business she started in 2019 was in jeopardy.
Young said financial troubles began when her accountant allegedly mismanaged her funds.
“I got hit with a huge sales tax debt that I thought I was paying, but no—he was just taking my money,” Young said.
To keep her restaurant afloat, she took a full-time job at a homeless shelter in Appleton, using her income to chip away at the debt. At the same time, she applied for the Heinz Black Kitchen Initiative Grant, a program that has awarded nearly $1 million to support Black-owned restaurants nationwide.
Young recalled the moment she learned she had won.
“I got a phone call from a number that looked like spam,” she said. “I took the call, and she asked, ‘Is this Wilona Young?’ I said yes, and then I hung up because I thought it was a scam.”
Fortunately, the Heinz representative texted her to confirm the news.
“So, I called her back, and she said, ‘I want you to know that you won the restaurant grant.’ I was like, ‘Are you serious?’”
Within days, Young received the $20,000 grant—tax-free.
“Literally, I got the grant deposit in my account at 8 o’clock on Monday morning. By 8:01, I paid off my IRS debt,” Young said.
The grant brought financial stability to her business and peace of mind to Young.
“My business is safe. I don’t have to worry about them pulling my seller’s permit and shutting me down because of these sales taxes. So, I get to breathe,” she said.
Chicago House of Hoagies is now one of three Black-owned restaurants in Wisconsin to receive the prestigious grant. With renewed stability, Young is focusing on serving her signature hoagies to an ever-growing customer base.
“In just a short time, people are coming from all over the Midwest to grab a bite,” Young said.
Her story is one of resilience and perseverance, and her restaurant stands as a beacon of hope for other small business owners facing adversity.
