By Dick Meister
Attention fans of free enterprise: After the earthquake on Oct. l7, 1989, almost everyone with something to sell quickly began peddling earthquake specials
(Dick Meister is a longtime San Francisco journalist.)
Fans of free enterprise undoubtedly were pleased that the earthquake which caused such great damage in the Bay Area on Oct. 17, 1989, didn’t so much as dent the spirit of local entrepreneurs. They lost none of their eagerness to exploit any and all situations to their advantage – natural disasters unquestionably included.
Bankers and lawyers and utility companies, insurers, furniture and appliance stores, contractors and condo salesmen, jewelers and art dealers, office supply firms, clothiers, supermarkets, fast food outlets, hotels and restaurants, T-shirt vendors …