The South Bend Tribune from South Bend, Indiana • 44

Sunday, August 11, 19060 Soulh Bsnd TrtouneoH AREA Restaurant lulling remains unsolved after 10 years Tribuns PhotoBARBARA ALUSON Alien of Bass Lake examines Christmas cookie tins in Mark Baileys Discount Center near Toto. Chamberlin said no witnesses to the homicide came forward The murder weapon, which police believe was a .22 -caliber gun, was never recovered One bullet was used and the gun was probably pulled from not more than few feet away, Avery said A group of ares businessmen once offered a $10,000 reward fix' information about Paul Griewanks murder. Again, no one came forward In 1993, police rejuvenated public interest to gain additional tips. They put out a Crime Stoppers bulletin and re-enacted the 1986 homicide for broadcast on television. Around that time, police brought in Pauls father, Warren Griewank, for further questioning.

Avery said Warren Griewanks original statements about his whereabouts the night of the murder showed some "inconsistencies. Police said the father did not additional insight or in-ormation about the murder, however, Avery added that Mr. Griewank is still a viable suspect." Hurshel Hunter, a Plymouth officer who retired in 1995, was a lead investigator on the case with Indiana State Police detective Bob Lapczynski. Leads took the investigative task force to the South Bend area, the University of Notre Dame campus and Michigan to question jail inmates there, Hunter said. Paul Griewank lived in South Bend with a friend before he moved back with his parents in Plymouth.

Many people were questioned about the case, Hunter said, but no evidence pinpointed a killer. You cant rule any person out at this point, Hunter; said. Its the one case Id have liked to have seen solved before I left I hope its solved for the Griewank family so they can put it to rest By JOHN FERAK PLYMOUTH Arrests or grand jury investigations In connection with the 10-year-old mystery of the Plymouth Dairy Queen killing are not likely, police said last week. Right now, its unlikety without further evidence," Plymouth Police Department Detective Jim Cox said This month marks the an-niversaw of Paul Griewanks slaying at the Dairy Queen at 1621 W. Jefferson St The slaying stunned this city of 10,000 in August 1986.

Griewanks death was the citys first homicide since 1979, when Jesse Hubbard was killed Besides the October 1994 disap- fearance of Starrene Clevenger, he Griewank murder is Plymouths only unsolved homicide. Clevengers body has not been found but a grand jury will convene in October to consider handing down an indictment Griewank, 30, was last seen by co-workers around 11:50 p.m. the night of his death. As the manager, he closed the restaurant on the night of Aug. 1, 1986.

About an hour later, 12:50 a.m. a police officer on routine patrol discovered Paul Griewanks body tying near the back exit on the building. Griewank died from a single bullet to the head Police ruled out robbery as a motive because no money was taken. For years after the killing, police attempted to piece together the puzzle, but no mqjor breaks or leads developed. Now, a decade later, police said they almost need a confession to solve the case.

We have a lot of suspicions, said Cpl. Clyde Avery, but we dont have any strong physical evidence." Avery and Police Chief Tom Discounting a tradition to come to see what they have next" We were the original discount store, said Rose Weinberg of Weinberg Store. The daughter of Weinbergs founder, David Weinberg, Rose Weinberg took over the store after her brother Harold died in 1989. If there are individuals who are most closely identified with Toto, they are Weinberg patriarch David and his oldest son, Harold. David Weinberg started what was to become Starke Countys largest fruit and vegetable operation in about 1920, first buying and hauling pickles to the processing plant in Chicago.

He would sleep on a feed sack to be near the 24-hour operation in Toto. One time, on a trip to Chicago, he purchased a mattress to sleep on. When he was offered two dollars for the mattress, he sold it. Soon, he found, he could make more money selling discounted goods and opened Weinberg Store. Despite several fires, the business thrived for many years.

Son Harold inherited the successful business from his father, and built Weinbergs into a destination point for shoppers, drawing thousands of customers weekly from the regional area, including Chicago and its suburban areas. Harold Weinberg was a charismatic businessman who had contacts and the business acumen to ferret out the unique bargains that made the store such a success. Rose Weinberg is 75, and although she says she will never completely retire, she is ready to cut back. She intends to close the largest share of the sprawling store next year, but she hopes to lease out portions to pther discounters. Mark Bailey, who was just 20 when he opened his store in 1985, knows that his location on Indiana 10, several miles south of Toto, means a lot to his business.

We think being part of Toto is a great benefit, he related. I do a lot of traveling, and when I say Im from North Judson, it doesnt mean a whole lot to people. But people always know where Toto is. Theyll say, My parents shopped there, or theyll remember going there as a kid Bailey is ready to expand what he calls the largest closeout store in the Midwest, adding 36,000 square feet to the present building. He expects the new portion to be completed in the next few weeks.

Marie Baileys offers closeouts, surplus goods and overruns. In many ways, the store has become the one that eveiyone who shops in Toto will make an effort to visit Both Bailey and Ed Ebner, owner of Richards, said Toto store owners work under the same philosophy offer a variety. We dont basically look at an item and say how much can we get for it; its how much less that we can sell it for and stay in business, Ebner said. Its just that different philosophy that makes us successful. Were true discounters.

Ebner said the Toto discount stores dont tty to go head-to-head with the mqjor chains, but instead buy and sell items that we feel people want We dont really care what the product is. If we think it is a good buy, and the people want it, well buy it We might have frying pans with motor oil. Richards has expanded several times, and now, in its 12th year, the store will add another 24,000 square feet of retail space, more than doubling the current size. Two of the newer store owners are former Weinbergs employees. Paul Hale has opened and Discount Store in downtown Toto with his father, John, and uncle R.B.

The store features kitchen and bath cabinets and vanities, a line he helped sell at Weinbergs. Ive watched Toto grow for over 30 years, Hale said. Its nothing Suspicion irritating for father of victim By JOHN FERAK Griewank said. Tnbune staff writer 1993 investigators made PLYMOUTH Warren Gne- Griewank return for additional) wank acknowledge police questioning. Griewank said police interrogated him for three hours in the stations basement asking him 1 if he killed Paul.

targetJijnuis-a-suSbect in the 1986 unsolved slaying of his son, Paul. However, he maintains his in Toto but improving with the businesses adding on and expanding. Preferred Flooring, which opened in 1992, has a co-owner, Rick Fornelli, who is a former manager of Weinbergs Carpet Store. Fornelli said that his store benefits from the large influx of new homeowners who are moving into the area, and that his store services an eight- to 10-county region. At Waldrops Market, although fruit, vegetables and garden flowers and plants are the major emphasis, the customer base, besides the visiting Toto shoppers, is rather unique.

We have a southern clientele, co-owner Jean Waldrop said We cater to those who like to make their own homemade biscuits, and we have sorghum from Mississippi and honey from Michigan and Mississippi. Most of our customers are people who live in the county many who have origins in Kentucky, Tennessee and the South. Sid Marks, owner of New Toto Stores, said There have been big changes around Toto over the years; some businesses are getting bigger and some are getting smaller. But Marks, who was born in a home where the drapery store is now located believes that his family business has been one constant. Were pretty much doing the same business weve done since 1949.

Thats older than me, Marks laughed Marks believes the customer base has changed somewhat, with more shoppers now visiting the stores over the entire week, rather than the large influx of weekend shoppers from Chicago. Stores in Toto traditionally have been closed on Tuesdays only, but that has changed in recent years. Weinbergs, New Toto Stores and Richards are closed on Tuesdays; Mark Baileys is open every day but Sunday, and Joeys and Waldrops are both open every day. Limited is part of an increase in passenger service in Amtraks eastern lines. To pay for it the rail company will take 3,000 miles out of service in the West and eliminate 400 jobs.

The changes will take place Nov. 10. When Amtrak mothballed the Broadway Limited in September 1995, it said the route was losing $14 million a year. 'Store owners pride in product variety By TERRY TURNER "Tribune Correspondent toto For years, discount "shopping for many has meant a trip "to this tiny community. 130 And although chain stores and outlet malls now dominate discount marketing, Toto continues to maintain its niche with about a dozen discount stores, including the original Weinberg Store that opened in 1921.

In fact, the central Starke County community is presently going through a resurgence of sorts, with two of the more popular stores, Richards of Toto and Mark Baileys Discount Center, building large additions. And there are relatively new stores, such as Preferred Flooring and and Discount Store, that offer expanded shopping choices for visitors. Two of the early, family-owned retail operations are still in business in the town, with histories dating back to the first half of the century Weinberg Store and New Toto Stores. And Joeys Wallpaper Store, JJwhich is best known for owner Joey iWeinbergs humorous TV com-Jt-mercials, still boasts almost a rolls of discounted wallpaper Sounder one roof. Store owners say they have loyal customers who keep returning shoppers like Rosie Insco, of LaCrosse.

Ive lived in Indiana for 45 1 years, and I always shop in Toto. I i love it, Insco said last week while 1 shopping in Richards of Toto. i She said the big attraction ini Toto is the variety. You just have Attention ifev MICHELLE DONAGHEY Tribune Correspondent I NAPPANEE Laura Slabaugh I of Nappanee is among those who welcome the return of Amtrak pas-j senger train service. I cant believe it.

It just sounds too great, she said Friday after learning that Amtrak service will 1 possibly return here after an absence of. a little more than a year. Slabaugh said she looks forward to taking her grandchildren to Chicago via Amtrak. She said she and her husband enjoyed a train trip they took to Chicago when Amtrak stopped here previously. The announcement that the passenger service is scheduled to return here was made at a news conference at Amish Acres, attended by city officials, U.S.

Rep. Tim Roemer and onlookers at the Arts and Crafts Festival. Amtrak, which discontinued service here last September after having served the city since 1990, announced plans to resume the Broadway Limited line by November. The New York-to-Chicago route through northern Indiana probably will include stops in Nappanee and Garrett although a filial decision hasnt been made, an Amtrak spokesman said. Before the Broadway Limited was dropped last September, Nappanee and Garrett were the routes stops in northeast Indiana.

Mayor Lan Thompson said he innocence. At his rural Plymouth home last week, Griewank talked for the first time publicly about his sons death and the case. Maybe Im a suspect I dont know, Griewank said. (That has) sort of irritated me inside. The night of the slaying, Griewank said, he was working as a security guard at the old McCords Heat Transfer in the industrial park.

Marshall County Coroner Dean Byers and Mr. Griewanks other Timothy, came by McCords to break the news. Warren Griewanks then-wife, Joan, had worked that night at Millers Meny Manor in Culver. I was just dumbfounded, like anyone would be, Mr. Griewank said.

Police initially questioned Mr. Griewank and many others. Police also had him bring in one of his hunting rifles for ballistics tests. He said the gun belonged to Pauls brother, Timothy. I knew it wasnt the rifle, Mr.

Griewank said. I just cooperated with them. It was all sort of nonsense to me. Paul, he was a good-natured person and thats it. He and Timothy were two different types, They came across like I did that he said.

I had gone by Daily Queen on my way to work that i night. It was right at midnight Just a few minutes before midnight. He mightve been tying there dead at that time. For the most part, Warren Griewanks life has crumbled since Pauls After more than 38 years of marriage, his wife divorced him in 1990. Mr.

Griewank said he doesnt think she divorced him because of Pauls death. Mrs. Griewank for many years worked to stir public interest in the case in hopes of solving the mys-; tery. She declined to be interviewed, however, for this story. Mr.

Griewank said he hasnt seen his only other son, Timothy, in about three years. When his two sons were growing up, Mr. Griewank said, he spent, more time with Timothy, who was more of an outdoors-type like himself. He said Paul was into in-. doors activities.

I got along good with both of them. I did more with Timothy be- cause hes sort of a builder. Paul spent a lot of time on the piano, Mr. Griewank recalled. I played badminton with him some.

That was the extent of my activity with Paul. trained on Amtraks return tinued, about 4,300 people per year either got on or got off Amtrak trains during their twice-a-day stops at the Nappanee depot Two other Amtrak trains the Lakeshore Limited and the Three Rivers make stops in Elkhart and South Bend daily. The Lake-shore Limited is a New York-to-Chicago route that also goes through parts of Michigan. Restoration of the Broadway is cautiously optimistic that train service will be restored, based on his conversations with Amtrak officials. Larry Andrews, Nappanees economic redevelopment director, said he believes Amtraks possible return will spur revitalization for the town.

He said the service will have a big effect on Amish residents like Slabaugh. Theres a large segment of the Amish who will ride the train to visit relatives in Lancaster, or in other parts of the country, he said. It will be a real benefit for our community. Ann Beachy wants to take her children on a train trip. I remember when the train (B O) used to go through town when I was a child, Beachy said.

I always wanted to go on that (Amtrak) train, and now Ill have the chance to. While there are fans of the passenger train, there also are those who believe the service needs improvement Terri Sparks of Nappanee said Friday, I hope the service gets better. You can drive faster to Chicago than take the train. Although Sparks admitted she did not use the rail service previously, she said friends who did ride the train from here told her that they were not consistently on time. Ruth Caine of Nappanee agreed that Amtrak needs to improve on meeting arrival times.

Before the service was discon.