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A new iPhone app will now make it easier to find and support Black-owned businesses around the country. Around the Way, which points out the nearest shops run by African-Americans, is a partnership between the New York-based company and Washington, D.C.-based mobile app development firm Clearly Innovative.

"Other ethnic groups have been supporting their own businesses literally for thousands of years," said Eric Hamilton, chief marketing officer and co-founder of Around the Way. "Around the Way is our attempt at doing what other ethnic and racial groups have been doing for a long time."

The app can locate more than 17,000 Black-owned businesses around the U.S., but that number will certainly grow as owners add in their shops through the company's website. The free app finds your location and lets you search by nine categories, will give you step-by-step directions on how to get there, save a list of your favorite spots and give you the option of sharing your discoveries through social media.

There were more than 1.9 million Black-owned businesses in 2007, according to the U.S. Census Bureau, which generated $137.5 billion in revenue.

Around the Way is currently available for the iPhone, iPad and iPod Touch and can be downloaded through the Apple app store. The company hopes to expand to Android phones in early 2013.

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