Saving Barnes and Noble | The Emperor of Litt...

Barnes & Noble’s first e-commerce website, BN.com, launches under the leadership of Stephen and Leonard Riggio. But the company’s attempt to join the digital revolution might be too little, too late.Be the first to know about Wondery’s newest podcasts, curated recommendations, an ...  Show more

The COVID-19 pandemic forces the closure of 400 Barnes & Noble locations. James Daunt uses the downtime to accelerate the redesign of stores, and to usher in radical changes to Barnes & Noble’s business model.Be the first to know about Wondery’s newest podcasts, curated recommend ...  Show more

After 10 years of rapid growth, the dollar stores hit big trouble. Rats, burglars, unhappy workers, online agitators and inflation erode their profits. And a new online dollar store makes inroads. Can they survive these existential threats?Be the first to know about Wondery’s new ...  Show more

When Texas hippie John Mackey opens an organic supermarket, he gets high on running a business. But when his ambitions sink its profits, sparks fly between him and his co-founders. They clash over the question of whether to chase a bigger dream or enjoy the money they’re already ...  Show more

We’re exploring how dollar stores went from Wall Street darlings to the problem children of the stock market. But first, we track how a re-energized Dollar General figures out how to make billions from small change, and its nearest-rival Family Dollar becomes a takeover target. B ...  Show more

In 2020, Kwame Spearman left his consulting job in New York City to take over an iconic independent bookstore, the Tattered Cover Book Store in Denver, Colorado—his hometown. Spearman saw an opportunity to reinvent the local business to build a community space after the pandemic. ...  Show more