Small shops in Big Apple fight to survive Sandy’s destruction

Pumping water out of basements and yanking rotten food out of refrigerators, shop and restaurant owners said on Thursday they wonder when the power will come back and, more importantly, how they will possibly recover from the damage left by Sandy. Thousands of small businesses, without power since the storm hit New York City on Monday, face the likelihood of darkness at least until the weekend, if not longer, authorities say. As to the bigger question of survival, many despair of their options.