Some Shops, Restaurants See Boost

"Yesterday was insane," Theo Foscolo, the assistant general manger at Rowdy Hall, a restaurant on Main Street, East Hampton, said of the over 350 people served at lunch and dinner Monday. "Everybody just wanted to get out of the house."

Mr. Foscolo attributed much of the increased traffic to Rowdy Hall's being one of the only restaurants open in the village; on Newtown Lane, Cittanuova was closed, as was Sam's Restaurant, he said. Mr. Foscolo said Rowdy Hall never lost power.

The Optical Shop of Aspen on Main Street, East Hampton, reopened Tuesday. Metah Valdez, a style consultant at the store, said business has been very slow. "A couple of repairmen and some trick-or-treaters have come in," she said yesterday. "The storm definitely put a damper on sales."

Elsewhere in the village, Babette's restaurant, BookHampton, Starbucks, and the Golden Pear café are open and were doing brisk business.

Many village businesses have had their electricity restored, despite warnings from Long Island Power Authority and public officials to residents that it could take 7 to 10 days, or more.

Al Fierro, a bartender at Indian Wells Tavern in Amagansett, said Wednesday business was better than usual. The restaurant reopened its doors for lunch on Tuesday, after the restaurant and bar was put back on the grid Tuesday night.

As of yesterday, the Meeting House, a restaurant in Amagansett Square, still had plywood on its doors and windows.

Walbaums, IGA, and Citarella are open in East Hampton, and there are reports that the gas is pumping at the Hess Station on Montauk Highway in Wainscott.

In Sag Harbor, where severe flooding and widespread loss of power occurred, the Golden Pear, Corner Bar, and 7-Eleven were reportedly open, as was Schiavoni's IGA Market.

The Amagansett IGA was open by Tuesday and had a good supply of most essentials.

Most of the stores in downtown Montauk were able to get their doors open by Wednesday.