SAVANNAH, Ga. (WTOC) – The Hyatt Regency’s ballroom had a constant rotation of people coming in to see what this year’s Black Business Expo had to offer Saturday.

WTOC spoke with the Greater Savannah Black Chamber of Commerce to find out how this event helped celebrate businesses and diversity in the community.

The expo was filled with opportunities for locals and tourists to get a chance to discover new business and the diversity they bring to the community.

For the first time since the pandemic, the Black Business Expo returned to Savannah on Saturday.

The Greater Savannah Black Chamber of Commerce (GSBCC) said this event gave people the chance to interact with and learn more about Black-owned businesses in the community.

Dr. Annissa Rowland is the owner of one of those businesses, A.J. Stone Jewlery. She says without the GSBCC’s help, people would never know how many businesses are truly out there.

“There’s all kinds of small businesses within the Black community that you don’t necessarily know about because there isn’t a brick and mortar,” said Dr. Rowland.

There were jewelry and makeup businesses, realtor companies and community organization all lined up in the Hyatt Regency ballroom. Many of them don’t have permanent retail locations for customers to visit.

GSBCC President and CEO Moncello Stewart says the expo gave small business like those visibility in the community.

”To be able to bring those businesses here so that people can see them, so that they can support them so those businesses can grow so they can become brick and mortars at some point, that’s really important,” said Stewart.

Peggy Logan was on a reunion trip with her friends when they decided to stop by the expo.

She said all of the vendors, panels, resources and exhibitions showed her just how diverse the Savannah business community is.

“To walk into an event that’s free that allows us to see people of our color building and doing so many positive and wonderful things, just to impact the community, is amazing,” said Logan.

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