“A lot of people in my office are getting engaged,” says one single woman. “A lot of people around me say, ‘I want to meet my significant other.’”

With more New Yorkers on a quest to connect, introduction and dating services are booming. Janis Spindel is a matchmaker who's sparked nearly 100 marriages since 1993.

“I have been inundated with phone calls since September 11.I actually had to hire an additional staff to help out,” says Spindel. “The reality of what happened in this traumatic experience I think changed people drastically in a lot of ways. Love and relationships were number one.”

At Social Circles, which hosts group events like Pictionary and bowling, membership has jumped more than 30 percent in the past three months.

“Our calendar of activities, which normally has 60 events, has increased to 70 because we have so many new members and we need to accomodate them,” says Graham McAden, the co-founder of Social Circles.

But that jump in attendance is countered by a drop in spending, as many grapple with the recession.

“Our less expensive events do better,” says McAden. “We sell out a Pictionary night, which is a lot less expensive than a Broadway show.”

Meanwhile, Spindel's business seems recession-proof: clients continue to pay up to $10,000 a year for twelve tailor-made matches.

And though setting up singles remains an inexact science, the alchemy seems a bit easier post-9/11. The reason?

According to Spindel, “I think they're accepting a lot of things that they weren't before, and they're much more open.”

Singles at Social Circles agree.

“It's made people a little friendlier now,” says Social Circles member Michael Cantwell. “It's easier to talk with one another.”

And fellow member Angie Vermill adds, “They probably don't scare away as easily, which I think is the best thing. When they hear those three words, ‘I love you,’ they don't seem to run away as fast as they used to.”

While most business activity is slumping post-9/11, these merger makers are thriving. And that's a trend romantics and capitalists alike can embrace.

- Elizabeth Gerst