For the taking

It means that there was plenty of business around (for example, plenty of customers ready to spend money), and that this business could be captured by anyone willing to make a modest effort.

"Business was up for grabs" means roughly the same thing.

Hi MG

MusicgoldBusiness was there for the taking.

When you say that something is there "for the taking" it means that the thing is easily/readily available.

Without any context, I would thus interpret your sentence to mean basically this:
- It was easy to get customers (i.e. do business) there.

The broader context might change tha

Mr Wordy, and Yankee,

Thanks.

Hi Mr Wordy,

Mr Wordy"Business was up for grabs" means roughly the same thing.

I wonder whether there is a BE vs AmE difference here. For me, the expression "up for grabs" doesn't have quite the same meaning. To me, "up for grabs" suggests that something has become available, but once it is "grabbed", it will be gone (i.e. a finite quantity is available)

Yankee

Mr Wordy"Business was up for grabs" means roughly the same thing.

I wonder whether there is a BE vs AmE difference here. For me, the expression "up for grabs" doesn't have quite the same meaning. To me, "up for grabs" suggests that something has become available, but once it is "grabbed", it will be gone (i.e. a finit