Minneapolis business owners ‘failed’ to plan their own event at the city-run black trade fair.

After city leaders demanded a public apology and compensation for the money and time they lost attending the city’s inaugural ‘I Am My Ancestors Wildest Dreams Expo,’ Minneapolis small businesses decided to plan their own event.

Not only did the exhibitors say they lost money due to low turnout, but a few vendors told 5 Eyewitness News that local vendors took a backseat to talent brought in from other regions.

According to documents obtained by 5 Eyewitness News, an out-of-state company played a major role in planning the event and was given a large share of the event’s budget.

“We lost more than money that day. We have lost faith in our city,” said Markella Smith.

Smith, who owns the Dream Shop in north Minneapolis, took a contingency plan into her own hands after she estimated she lost about $2,000 at the city-sponsored expo.

She was setting up a Friday vendor show Wednesday at Royal Foundry Craft Spirits: ‘The People’s Marketplace Mpls,’ “to create an economic recovery from what was supposed to be an event for us, but wasn’t,” Smith explained. “We’re bringing these black-owned businesses into a black-owned space.”

I don’t say ‘compensation’ on purpose. I say ‘restoration’ because it was ours to start with,” added J. Devon Nolen, who helped plan the event.

Opal Robinson, known as Ms. Opal, is the owner of Inner Peace Fragrance, just down the street from Smith’s Store in North Minneapolis.

“So we sell what we call scent,” Robinson said.

She will have a booth at ‘The Peoples’ Market’ on Friday, as she did at the city’s exhibition.

“It was chaotic,” she recalls. “You should have known something. It was really disappointing.

Like Smith, Robinson reported going bankrupt.

“I don’t want to go into detail about how much. However, it was very useful, because I also hired two employees,” she says.

A large amount of money appears to have been sent out of state. Although a city spokeswoman responded to questions Wednesday morning that the city was “still finalizing the total cost of this event based on vendor invoices,” documents obtained by 5 Eyewitness News revealed that about a quarter of the exhibit’s budget, $242,000, was allocated to a consulting firm. A self-proclaimed “celebrity” to plan and hire a Minneapolis-sponsored event in Alpharetta, Georgia.[ing] The Black Lived Experience in Minneapolis…”

“There are a lot of event planners here in the Twin Cities. I can name a few,” Robinson said. “I’m friends with quite a few, so I think we could have pulled off a great expo just with the talent in our area.”

Asked how she felt about it, Smith said, “Every time I hear numbers like that, it’s depressing, isn’t it? It’s disappointing.”

“I told myself not to cry, but it really pisses me off how many businesses can use that kind of money to grow their business,” she added.

There has been no response from the former head of the Department of Racial Equality, who was tasked with putting the event together.

A spokesman said earlier in the week that the city would not comment until the Minneapolis Auditor’s Office completes its investigation into the event planning.

A spokeswoman who responded to questions Wednesday said in a statement that the consulting bid was initially opened to 14 Minneapolis companies and then opened to all after no response. Three out-of-state companies applied and the city’s Department of Racial Inclusion and Property ultimately chose the Georgia company, the statement read.

There has been no response yet from the former head of the department.

The results of the city’s audit are expected to be released later this month.

Mayor Jacob Frey sent the following statement when asked if his office had discussed the proposed public apology and compensation.

“I’m excited to see this event happen and let’s encourage our community to come out and support Black-owned and operated businesses in Minneapolis. We learned from the recent expo, and look forward to our continued partnerships with the businesses and vendors that call Minneapolis home.

Minneapolis Mayor Jacob Frey

‘The People’ Market Mpls’ is scheduled for Fridays from 3:30 am to 7:30 pm.