Article updated: 12/9/2012 6:27 AM

Small businesses want grants to aid Sandy recovery

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Bridge Cafe General Manager Ludmila Silva and proprietor Adam Weprin take down the restaurant's neon sign Tuesday at the restaurant in New York's South Street Seaport. Like many small business owners in the Northeast whose stores, restaurants, factories and offices were devastated or destroyed by the Oct. 29 storm, Weprin is hoping that federal, state and local officials will quickly come up with grants to help him rebuild and survive.

Associated Press

Bridge Cafe proprietor Adam Weprin poses Thursday for a photo at the restaurant's bar in New York's South Street Seaport. Like many small business owners in the Northeast whose stores, restaurants, factories and offices were devastated or destroyed by the Oct. 29 storm, Weprin is hoping that federal, state and local officials will quickly come up with grants to help him rebuild and survive.

Associated Press

Bridge Cafe proprietor Adam Weprin, right, assists worker Lee Fredericks take down lights over the bar in the restaurant. Like many small business owners in the Northeast whose stores, restaurants, factories and offices were devastated or destroyed by the Oct. 29 storm, Weprin is hoping that federal, state and local officials will quickly come up with grants to help him rebuild and survive.

Associated Press

About this Article

Stores, restaurants, factories and offices across the Northeast were damaged or destroyed by the Oct. 29 storm. So far, almost all the recovery money that's being offered to small businesses by government agencies is in the form of loans, but taking on debt is one of the last things owners want to do as they try to recover from the storm in an already challenging economy.