The Economics of Everyday Things
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The Economics of Everyday Things
Who decides which snacks are in your office’s vending machine? How much is a suburban elm tree worth, and to whom? How did Girl Scout Cookies become a billion-dollar business? In bite-sized episodes, journalist Zachary Crockett looks at quotidian things and finds amazing stories. To get every show...
Nedávné epizody
165 epizod
23. Cadavers - Part 2
In the final part of our series, Zachary Crockett talks to a man with a storied — and controversial — career in the body parts business. This episode...
22. Cadavers - Part 1
In the first of two episodes, Zachary Crockett digs into the strange and discomfiting history of cadavers, and the industry that has emerged around th...
21. Car Washes
Why are these sudsy roadside stops one of the fastest growing industries in America? Zachary Crockett takes a look under the hood. This episode was or...
20. Tattoo Parlors
More people than ever before are getting tattoos — but social media has flipped the trade’s business model on its head. Zachary Crockett dips into the...
19. Pizza Boxes
There’s more than meets the eye to the box that stores the pie. Zachary Crockett cracks the lid. This episode was originally published on October 1st,...
18. Mobile Home Parks
They’ve long been associated with crime and blight. Now, the investors are moving in. Zachary Crockett follows the trail. This episode was originally...
17. Truffles
It takes fungi-sniffing dogs, back-room deals, and a guy named “The Kingpin” for the world’s most coveted morsel to end up on your plate. Zachary Croc...
16. Prop Money
Who makes the stacks of fake cash used in movies — and how do they stay clear of counterfeit law? Zachary Crockett follows the fake money. This episod...
15. Home Staging
How do you turn an empty house into a buyer’s dream home? Zachary Crockett pulls back the curtain. This episode was originally published on August 27t...
14. “Happy Birthday to You”
The most popular song of the 20th century — and a key part of a ubiquitous American ritual — was also the subject of a years-long legal battle. Zachar...
13. Carnival Games
Does anyone ever win the giant teddy bear? Zachary Crockett steps right up. This episode was originally published on August 6th, 2023.
Hosted by...
12. Women’s Sports Bars
Most sports bars rarely screen women's games. Zachary Crockett taps into the strategy of one woman who set out to change the channel. This episode was...
11. Cashmere
Once a luxury good, the soft fiber is now everywhere — which has led to a goat boom in Mongolia. Zachary Crockett tugs at the thread. This episode was...
10. Michelin Stars
Only the finest restaurants have a chance to bask in their glow. Sometimes, it’s a bit too bright. Zachary Crockett squints at the menu. This episode...
9. Bowling Alleys
Once America’s favorite recreational activity, bowling has been in the gutter for decades. But some surviving alleys are resetting the pins. Zachary C...
8. Delaware License Plates
Vanity plates might be 2KUL4U, but in the Blue Hen State, low-digit plates command high-digit prices. Zachary Crockett sums up a big market in a small...
7. Animal Urine
One creature’s trash is another’s cash. Zachary Crockett flushes out the numbers with a man who found profit in pee. This episode was originally publi...
6. T. rex Skeletons
How do they emerge from the Upper Cretaceous period to end up in natural-history museums and private collections? Zachary Crockett digs for answers. T...
5. Sports Mascots
We’re not sure what that creature cavorting on the sidelines is — but it doesn’t come cheap. Zachary Crockett gets the ballpark figures on everyone’s...
4. Used Hotel Soaps
Hotel guests adore those cute little soaps, but is it just a one-night stand? Zachary Crockett discovers what happens when we love ’em and leave ’em....
3. My Sharona
Can a hit single from four decades ago still pay the bills? Zachary Crockett f-f-f-finds out. This episode was originally published on February 2nd, 2...
2. Girl Scout Cookies
How does America's cutest sales force get billions of Thin Mints, Samoas, and Tagalongs into our hands every year? Zachary Crockett digs in. This epis...
120. An update on the show
The Economics of Everyday Things is going on an indefinite hiatus.
Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.ads...
119. Christmas Lights
Would you pay a professional $2,500 or more to put up your holiday lights? Zachary Crockett is walking in a winter wonderland.
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118. Urban Trees
Trees are more than decoration — they’re living economic assets, with measurable costs and benefits for cities and neighborhoods. Zachary Crockett tak...
117. Cut Flowers
Grab a simple bouquet from your local grocery store and you're activating a global network of farms, shipping companies, wholesalers, distributors, an...
116. Cobblers
Shoe repair shops are a dying breed — but for those that remain, demand is higher than ever. Zachary Crockett goes in for a shine.
Superhot Chili Peppers (Replay)
The market for gustatory pain is surprisingly competitive. Zachary Crockett feels the burn.
Hosted by Simplecast, an Ads...
115. Miniature Golf
How much does it cost to design and build a mini-golf course? And what’s it like to run one? Zachary Crockett putts things in perspective.
114. Natural and Artificial Flavors
How do flavorists capture the essence of a fruit and put it in a can of sparkling water, or a tub of yogurt? Zachary Crockett takes a bite.
113. Laundromats
A day on the job includes hundreds of quarters, giant balls of lint, and fishing weird stuff out of machines. Zachary Crockett throws in a load.
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112. Campgrounds
Running a campground isn’t all eating s'mores around the campfire. Zachary Crockett fans the flames.
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Gas Stations (UPDATED)
When gas prices skyrocket, do station owners get a windfall? And where do their profits really come from? Zachary Crockett pulls up to the pump.
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111. Product Recalls
Every year, thousands of products are recalled from store shelves. How does the process work — and who foots the bill? Zachary Crockett gets a refund...
110. Formula 1 Teams
In a sport that generates more than $3.5 billion a year, teams compete in cars that cost $70 million to develop and build — and a split-second to cras...
109. Billboards
The world’s oldest advertising medium has reconfigured itself for the digital age. Zachary Crockett looks up.
Hosted by Simpleca...
108. Matchmakers
Some singles choose to skip the apps and get fixed up the old-fashioned way — but it doesn't come cheap. Zachary Crockett puts himself out there.
107. Megachurches
They have thousands of congregants and millions of dollars in income. Zachary Crockett passes the collection plate.
Host...
106. Maple Syrup
Pure maple syrup can be five times as expensive as “pancake syrup,” but maple farmers — and breakfast connoisseurs — say it’s worth it. Zachary Crocke...
105. Light Bulbs
Why did it take so long to invent a longer-lasting bulb? Zachary Crockett finds the answer illuminating.
Hosted by Simpl...