South Florida's small businesses suffer brunt of Hurricane Wilma.

Publication: The Miami Herald (Miami, Florida) (via Knight-Ridder/Tribune Business News)

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COPYRIGHT 2005 The Miami Herald

Oct. 28--Two days after the hurricane, Joseph Bitton's hands were acting out his mounting concern over the rising losses from his darkened restaurant as he dialed and redialed the power company and his insurance agent.

Each day his Express Pita Boom Grill on Biscayne Boulevard stayed closed cost him $1,000 to $3,000 in lost sales. Another $1,500 of beef, lamb and chicken were sitting in his refrigerator. "I haven't opened the refrigerator door yet," said Bitton, 50. "I want to keep it cold as long as possible."

Bitton, like other small-business owners, illustrates how one of South Florida's economic strengths -- large numbers of...

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