U.S. Bank has launched Deal Local, a mobile app designed to help local businesses attract new customers and build loyalty with their existing customers through deals and rewards, according to a press release.

Merchants in Lawrence, Kansas, have exclusive access to the app, which is now available in the Apple and Google Play app stores, according to the announcement. The bank said it selected Lawrence as a test market for its size, civic pride and numerous local businesses.

"We designed Deal Local to help locally-owned small businesses grow and connect with their customers," said Dominic Venturo, chief innovation officer for U.S. Bank. "The key for their customers is that Deal Local is a tremendously simple way to sign up for and take advantage of deals all from one place right on their phone. It gets rid of the need to carry around often-misplaced coupons or bulky key fobs."

Local shops and restaurants that enroll in the program can load deals into the Deal Local app. The deals will be presented on the business's point-of-sale payment terminal when their customers check out. A shopper can scroll through deals on the app, as well as set up their phone number or payment card info so they're automatically recognized at checkout.

The Grove, which is U.S. Bank subsidiary Elavon’s innovation lab in Atlanta, developed the app. Elavon's Fanfare point-of-sale technology and customer loyalty program powers the app.

"We drew on our experience and scale as one of the largest small business payment processors in the country in building Deal Local. It's a sophisticated yet easy-to-use app that will help entrepreneurs build customer relationships and steal market share from the big guys," said Wally Mlynarski, senior vice president of global product and innovation.