Culture Meets Commerce at Atlantic City’s Inaugural Black Business Expo

Atlantic City made history with the launch of its first-ever Black Business Expo, a dynamic celebration of entrepreneurship and community collaboration. Held at the historic All Wars Memorial Building on August 26, 2025, the expo brought together Black-owned business vendors, local officials, and residents in honor of National Black Business Month. The event served as a platform for local entrepreneurs to showcase their goods and services, gain exposure, and access vital resources designed to help their businesses grow.

Among the enthusiastic vendors was Ruschele Whitfield, owner of Fitness Foodies, a health-focused brand that promotes wellness through nutritious snacks and products.

“I’m grateful that the city arranged such a meaningful event for all entrepreneurs, especially Black entrepreneurs,” Whitfield said. “Small business ownership is not easy. So when you have a chance to elevate your business, you need community and motivation. We’re all excited to buy, sell, and learn here.”

The expo featured panel discussions with both emerging and established business leaders, live radiobroadcasts promoting local brands, and a curated art exhibit led by Atlantic City historian Ralph Hunter. In addition, attendees had the opportunity to apply for micro-grants aimed at supporting business development.

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For vendors like Samantha Prescott, founder of Nana’s Pudding, the experience was about more than just sales.

“This is a great marketing and networking event,” Prescott said. “The room is full of information and resources. It was great to be a part of it!”

Mayor Marty Small Sr. addressed the hundreds of attendees, highlighting the importance of Black-owned businesses to the city’s economic future. He pointed out how previous administrations had long overlooked this part of the community—but that changed under the Small administration.

“There was a time when our city was home to hundreds of Black-owned businesses,” added Bruce Weekes, the City of Atlantic City’s Assistant Director of Economic Development and co-organizer of the expo. “Today, that number has dwindled to just dozens. We see this expo as a launching pad to help restore the strong presence Black businesses once had in our community.”

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The expo was organized by the city’s Economic Development team, led by Weekes and Pam Fields, in collaboration with the Planning & Development Department and with strong support from Mayor Small, who made several major announcements during the event:

• A $500,000 commitment in grant funding to support Black-owned businesses in Atlantic City.
• The launch of "Great Day  University" this fall, a free financial wellness program for  residents offering credit repair and financial planning.
• A promise to bring the Black Business Expo back next year, making it an annual tradition.

The event also marked the release of the Atlantic City Black Business Directory, a new resource thatlists Black-owned businesses across the city by category, complete with contactinformation - a tool designed to promote visibility and encourage localsupport. In the end, Atlantic City’s first Black Business Expo wasn’t just aone-off event, but instead it was the beginning of a broader movement to upliftand invest in the city’s Black business community.

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PHOTOS: Edward Lea / City of Atlantic City

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