Hurricane Sandy: For some, a rare business opportunity (+video)

Gasoline and generators were in big demand across the region, where commuting is a fact of life. The queues at the pump were exacerbated because more than half of all gasoline service stations in the New York City area andNew Jersey were shut because of depleted fuel supplies and power outages, industry officials said.

Joe Saluzzi, co-manager of Chatham, New Jersey-based equities brokerage Themis Trading, said the roads were full of tension and angst.

"It's like Mad Max, the movie," he said, referring to the 1979 film starring Mel Gibson that takes place in a post-apocalyptic wasteland where fuel is at a premium.

"Everyone's looking for gas and protecting their gas when they buy it. We were actually on line before getting an extra bunch of gas to makes sure our generator goes on. Gas and generators are gold. They're more popular than an iPhone on release day."

The same could be said for livery drivers in New York. Black sedans and town cars were seen darting over to crowded bus stops in Manhattan's Inwood and Washington Heights neighborhoods to take on passengers tired of waiting for city buses, many of which were filled to capacity.

Fares, though, had usually gone up. Taxi meters weren't always on, lower early-riser car parking fees had disappeared, and a coffee and a pastry in a small deli could cost substantially more than its normal price.

Some store owners found they didn't need to do much to lure in customers feeling cooped up after spending hours indoors.

Carl Darwisch, 45, and his cousin, Charlie, showed up Tuesday morning at their new store, Details Designer Shoe Outlet on the Upper West Side, to survey damage.

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