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Posted: Saturday, 17 October 2009 7:53PM
Sandwich shop at center of assault hoax now for sale
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PALOS HEIGHTS (STNG) -- T.J. Grinder's, the cozy Palos Heights soup and sandwich shop at the center of a rape hoax last year, is for sale.
Launched as a business venture by owner Mark Holda and his son Joe in spring 2008, the restaurant added to the bevy of eateries on a strip of Harlem Avenue.
But five months after opening its doors, the restaurant made headlines after a 17-year-old girl who worked at the shop claimed she was held at knifepoint and raped by a customer who abducted her outside the restaurant after she was left alone to close for the night.
Critics lashed into Holda for leaving a teen girl alone to close up.
Later, the girl admitted she made up the story about being assaulted -- and after an estimated $250,000 manhunt for an attacker who never existed -- the girl was ordered to perform community service.
At the time, Holda blamed the girl's tale for a big drop in business at the shop -- as much as 50 percent. He did not return multiple calls for comment for this story.
The girl who made the claim avoided police charges and has completed her community service, her attorney said.
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