After the storm, it's back to business on Rockaway Avenue

“We got through it,” said Howie Josephson, an employee of Sunshine Blinds Inc., about Hurricane Irene. Many business owners on Rockaway Avenue took precautions before the storm, which was later downgraded to a tropical storm as it passed through the area.

On Monday morning, several businesses were assessing the damage in Irene’s aftermath. Josephson was gathering materials, thankful that the store sustained no damage, he said. Employees had placed sandbags at the store’s front door before Irene’s arrival. They opened on Sunday to a scene of damaging winds and torrential rain. But by the next day, he said everything seemed to be back to normal.

Rose Valenti Fragrance employees also placed sandbags around the storefront. Their main concern was flooding, said owner Robert Valenti and employee Marie Stern. Their building sustained water damage from a massive rain storm two weeks ago. Their fears escalated upon hearing news of Irene’s wrath in the metropolitan area, Valenti and Stern said.

“I was scared,” said Indy, owner of Indy’s Fashions. She had taped the storefront’s windows ahead of Irene. But that was not enough, as some glass broke and lights fell in the store, which closed on Sunday. Nonetheless, the damage was minimal. “Thank God is was not that bad,” she said.

The phones were still out at Valley Stream House of Carpets on Monday, said owner Ray Tesar. His business fared pretty well, he said, and only had to close a couple of hours on Sunday. He did not follow suit behind several businesses that taped their windows. Luckily, the shop sustained no major damage. “We were OK,” he said.

Over at Morris Variety, flashlights and batteries flew off the shelves last weekend. Customers purchased at least 400 percent more storm-related items, according to owner Jack Cazes. He chalked it up to the gloomy forecast for Hurricane Irene. “The area is prone to flooding,” he said.

Customers even shared their concerns with him. “Some people did not think it would pan out,” Cazes said, “and were hoping the weatherman would be wrong.” To protect Morris Variety store, employees used sandbags in front of the door. Luckily, there was no water damage, Cazes said.

Numerous businesses were still closed, and windows were either taped or boarded up on Monday.

Several toppled trees lined the intersecting streets off of Rockaway Avenue. A large tree fell through a parking lot fence at 50 W. Fairview Ave. on Sunday morning. Nassau County Police barricaded the area using yellow caution tape, as the tree was near power lines.

Another tree stood surrounded by split branches in the Associated Supermarket parking lot behind Rockaway Avenue. Some dangling power lines also were sectioned off from the public.