Greg Carafello, owner of a digital printing company on the South Tower's 18th floor, thought the explosion must be from the Windows On The World Restaurant above. Furniture falling past the windows convinced him to get to the ground floor.
When the second plane hit, "the noise was unbearable," he said. He started running. Later that day, when he was safe uptown, he first heard himself called a "survivor." Unfortunately, Carafello's best friend did not make it out; he was the seventh victim identified by DNA at Ground Zero.
Carafello's $4 million business, reliant on now cancelled trade shows, dropped to $600,000 in revenues.
Though he took no paycheck and laid off long-time staff, by 2003 the business closed. Using his last cash, Carafello took a gamble and bought the franchise rights for New Jersey (and eventually New York City) for Cartridge World, a toner and ink provider.
Now with 36 stores in New Jersey and another 30 scheduled to open in Manhattan, he helps others buy franchises and said, "The tragedy taught me that we only go around once in life. We need to make the most of it. We can't be afraid to take a chance."
The bestsellers of these 10 businesses have jaw-dropping price tags and plenty of buyers.
