"We are in limbo," says Robin Wilch of Groves Bear store
"We are in limbo," explains Robin Wilch of Groves' Bear store.
The North Main Street business owner says that in order to go forward three parties need to agree on something: a structural engineer, her insurance adjustor and a representative of the state, who approves building code occupancy.
Until that happens the business remains closed to customers.
"Nobody wants to take the responsibility in writing (to allow her to reopen her shop)," she says,
She hopes that the logjam will start to move on Thursday (Feb. 25). That's when a representative of the State Department of Commerce will visit the store to make an examination.
Wilch believes that the report that representative will file will be available by Monday (March 1).
Until then the telephone still rings from customers out of state and overseas who are interested in purchasing teddy bears. Most of those persons have no idea of the problems with the Groves building roof.
Last Thursday the shop was closed because of problems with the roof. Those problems were caused by heavy snow on the roof.
The ceiling inside the store shows obvious problems. The outside wall shows problems, but it is more difficult to detect. The photo on the home page demonstrates that the south outside wall has collapsed slightly inward since the braces were placed on the building.
Stories Posted This Week
Saturday, October 31, 2026
Friday, October 30, 2026
- Main St. runway for Trick or Treaters
- October 30 Bluffton Schools athletics lineup, streaming
- What Kind of Paradise author joins book club by Zoom, Nov. 4
- Check out November 2026 events at Bluffton Public Library
- Scarecrow voting ends at midnight, Oct. 31
- Annual meeting and dinner for Senior Center members, November 9
- November 2026 Community Meals at the Senior Center
- Pirate girls soccer edged in shootout by Big Green in district final
Thursday, October 29, 2026
- Ada Icon headlines, October 29
- Bluffton chamber welcomes six new members in October 2026
- Scam talk with Chief Ryan Burkholder
- Apollo Career Center honored as Gold Star Institution
- Peanut brittle time at the Senior Center begins Nov. 9
- Bluffton University Forum explores faith, hope and care for creation
- Business Collective networking night, Nov. 5
- Radio play staging of It's a Wonderful Life on Nov. 29
- Test-to-Treat not Trick-or-Treat
- If only we could put these fall days on pause