Small Business Saturday Deals 2015: The Best Offers To Shop, Eat And Drink Locally [INTERACTIVE MAP]

Although the Black Friday shopping extravaganza may command more of the national spotlight in the U.S., locally minded consumers shouldn't miss Small Business Saturday. Launched by American Express in 2010 to promote local shopping, the event encourages people to check out small businesses the Saturday after Thanksgiving, with stores frequently offering significant deals.

Since the inception of the promotion, it has become a massive day for small businesses. It brought in more than $14 billion for independent stores last year, with the number of annual shoppers hovering around 100 million in recent years, according to CNBC.

Small businesses across the country are planning deals to draw in customers. Check out the list below to will help you find the best deals around the nation:

Search A Listing

American Express has set up a search function online that can help shoppers locate some of the best small businesses near their ZIP codes. Click here to get to the site, then enter your ZIP code and peruse the results for shops that catch your eye.

Surf The Hashtags

Businesses know that social media can be great in attracting business. Stores will often employ hashtags so their deals are easily searchable. The main hashtag to keep an eye on is #shopsmall, which is the official tagline of Small Business Saturday, but scroll through trending topics Saturday to see whether others pop up, such as #shoplocal or #SmallBusinessSaturday. Looking through the results of hashtags will likely turn up some good deals.

Check Out Etsy

The popular site that allows merchants to sell their crafts has set up a handy tool for finding Small Business Saturday deals being offered by its sellers. You can find it here.

Use The Independent We Stand App

The application for buying local was launched to assist in spreading the word about the benefits of shopping at independently owned businesses. Available to Android and iOS users, the free app helps customers across the country find places to shop locally. Check it out here.

Narrow Your Search With This Handy Map

The National Federation of Independent Business is promoting Small Business Saturday as a way to boost independent businesses. It put together an interactive map that lets users zero in on their communities. The map displays local businesses in each area, the products or services offered by the stores there and the kind of deals to expect on Small Business Saturday.