Captain Billy, born in Frankfurt, Germany on August 9, 1951, dedicated over 45 years of his life to mastering the art of seafood, particularly South Florida’s prized delicacy, stone crabs. After relocating with his parents to South Florida in 1967, he later joined Joe’s Stone Crab as the manager of their wholesale division. Years later, he ventured out on his own, establishing a wholesale and retail stone crab business in Miami Springs, which soon evolved into a renowned restaurant featuring an all-you-can-eat stone crabs concept.
In 1981, Billy sold that establishment and opened Billy’s on the Bay, a spacious waterfront seafood restaurant on Miami’s 79th Street Causeway. The success of his ventures led him to launch Billy’s Stone Crab Restaurant in Hollywood in 1995, becoming a renowned waterfront dining destination and a beloved Hollywood landmark.
Captain Billy, worked constantly to innovate and enhance his business. His love for South Florida’s waters, fishing, boating, and global travels inspired his passion for creating extraordinary dining experiences at the heart of Hollywood.
In 2013, Billy’s oldest son Brian joined the family business, leading to the expansion of their operations to Summerland Key, where BSC Fisheries was established. Today, with a fleet of over 35 independent fishing boats, including BSC’s own vessel, they have become the primary supplier and seafood authority for stone crabs and lobsters in South Florida. In addition, Brian now operates 2 fish houses in the vibrant Florida Keys. He recently purchased the spacious fish house/processing plant in Marathon to expand the fishery side of the business. This strategic move has doubled their production and led to major wholesale distribution throughout the state.
Furthermore, they are fortunate to have Billy’s younger sons, Robert and Alex Hershey, who recently joined the team. Their presence ensures the continuation of the family legacy and positions them to successfully take the business to new heights in the future.
For Billy, his life’s work, his 5 children, immediate and extended family, cousins in South Carolina, and his cherished friends meant the world to him. Happy heavenly Birthday Billy, you are missed!