Coronavirus: Was Elmhurst Gym Open?

ELMHURST, IL — An Elmhurst gym owner told police his business was closed, but police officers doubted his story, noting they heard the use of workout equipment. For two days in a row, police showed up at the Going For Greatness gym at 503 W. Third St. and spoke with the owner. The owner also posted an advertisement that indicated he was actively seeking customers, police said.

Elmhurst Patch obtained the police report through a public records request. According to the report, after receiving a citizen's complaint March 31, an officer conducted surveillance and saw three men in their late teens or early 20s entering the gym wearing athletic clothing, according to a police report. Two of them carried gym bags.

When the officer knocked on the door, one of the three men answered and the officer asked to speak to the owner. Rob Wienski. The man went back inside and returned moments later, saying, "We're cleaning up right now. He asked if it would be OK for you to come back in like an hour." The officer said that was not acceptable.

Wienski showed up a short time later at the door and said they were cleaning. The officer told Wienski about the governor's closure of nonessential businesses such as gyms because of the coronavirus. In response, the three men left the building. Their cars were parked at businesses on West Avenue, likely not to draw attention to the gym, according to the police report. The officer warned them their cars would be subject to towing by the property owners if they parked there again.

The next day, another citizen called about the gym being open, saying, "The owner lied saying they were there to clean, but there is someone teaching a class there. There are more than 10 people inside. They are still giving private training to teenagers," the report said.

As two officers stood by the door, they heard a couple men and a woman talking and laughing. They also heard the sounds of weight plates clanking, according to the report.

The officers called the Wienski's number and asked him to come outside. The officer who was there the day before asked him if he remembered their conversation. Wienski said he was cleaning, not running a gym. Asked who was inside, Wienski said, "My helpers. I have a cleaning crew. I'm not running a business," the report said.

When an officer said the gym is considered a nonessential business and there was no reason to clean or sanitize it, Wienski responded, "Should I just leave dust on it?"

When one of the officers told Wienski they could hear workout equipment being used, Wienski first continued with his cleaning explanation, but then admitted, "They were working out, but they were cleaning too," the report said. He then repeated "I'm sorry" several times.

One of the officers told Wienski that given the warning the previous day, the police would take the matter to the next level. The police contacted Erin Jason, the city's economic development director, who confirmed the gym was a nonessential business and should not have clients or co-workers coming in. Wienski was told that it would be the last warning he would receive and any subsequent violations would result in formal enforcement action.

Shortly after, a man and a woman left the gym, with the man saying, "We were just cleaning." The police were able to identify the woman through her driver's license plate. They could find no indication she was an employee at Going For Greatness, as Wienski had indicated, according to the police report.

Police also said they were shown a March 30 post on a local Facebook page in which Wienski advertised "Private Fitness Club Memberships, $50." The ad also said, "I'm opening up my exclusive club to only 30 fit women and men looking to stay fit (feel and look good). It's a selection process, so you may want to be on your best first impression. You can DM (Direct Message Me) for details."

When Patch dropped by Going For Greatness on Monday, it did not appear to be in operation. A sheet was hanging inside covering the front door. A board blocked another entrance. No cars were in its small parking lot. A pedestrian said she hadn't seen the gym open lately.

A day after the most recent police visit, an athlete was interviewed in the gym while a mostly obscured person could be seen in the background working out. The videos are listed as "live" in Elmhurst.

The Going for Greatness website includes information about Wienski. It describes him as a well-known fitness specialist, personal trainer and public speaker. It says he has 15 years as a strength and conditioning coach.

"From years of sacrifice, having tremendous passion towards living a high performance lifestyle, education institutions and companies, athletic organizations invest Rob Wienski in their assets to maximize their performance to create a competitive advantage," the website says.

Wienski has not returned messages for comment.

Read more:

Illinois Coronavirus Update April 8: 13,549 Cases; 380 Deaths

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