Business Booming For Street Vendors At Ground Zero Following Osama Bin Laden's Death
NEW YORK (WCBS 880) – Osama bin Laden's death has proved to be a boon for business near Ground Zero.
Street vendors and many others have been cashing in on the demise of the world's most-wanted terrorist.
Alessan Niass, a street vendor a block from the World Trade Center site, said he's seen a boost in sales since bin Laden was killed, especially of American flags.
"Maybe three dozen [flags]," Niass told WCBS 880's Peter Haskell. In fact, Niass said he sold so many American flags on Monday, he had to go to 28th Street to restock.
WCBS 880's Peter Haskell reports
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Niass said baseball caps with President Obama's name on them are also big sellers and with Obama scheduled to visit ground zero on Thursday, vendors' sales could climb even higher.
Business is also flying high for those who make flags.
WCBS 880's Peter Haskell In Essex County
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That includes Annin Flagmakers in Roseland, New Jersey.
"We've done about a 50 percent increase in our orders on Monday. Again, we're wholesale only. And then that continued yesterday," said company vice president Bob Cashiano. "It's all about patriotism."
Cashianio says the first orders came in at 1 a.m. Monday.
Gary Potenzone owns Apollo Flag, a retailer.
He says it started first thing Monday.
"I had a very good day that day. Probably about a 400 to 500 percent increase over normal business this time of year."
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