The past sells. There's no doubt about it. This week we're diving into what that means for consumerism, as the holidays approach, and throughout the year, too. We take a look at how that plays out for independent toy stores, the vintage band T-shirt market and the film and TV industry. Plus, the real cost of fake snow and what determines a fad for the toy industry. Also, Congress's quick moves this week -- the new tax bill and funding for the Children's Health Insurance Program.

12/22/17: How do you put a price on nostalgia?



Marketplace Weekend® has concluded production as of July 2018. The show was hosted by Lizzie O’Leary and told powerful stories from economies both large and personal.



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Roughly one in five Americans has a disability. Those numbers increase with age and vary across race and gender, but every single one of those people is carving out an economic life. In this hourlong special, we focused on three pillars of the economy: education, work and health care.

The economics of disability (encore)

This week, we are revisiting a bunch of our favorite stories from over the past few years. The average woman earns about 80 cents for every dollar the average man makes. So how can we move toward pay equality? Then, our health. Changes in health care affect society’s most vulnerable citizens — children. We’ll take a look back at our visit to a pediatric hospital in Southern California. Plus, dogs. Rescue dogs make our hearts melt AND teach us lessons about supply and demand! The business of rescuing, transporting and adopting puppies is complicated, so we break it down. We also talk with Ask a Manager’s Alison Green about what to wear in the office.

Our favorite Marketplace Weekend stories (encore)

This week, we are revisiting the stories listeners engaged with the most. You yelled at them, you talked about them, you tweeted them and you “liked” them. We take a look back at a range of pieces, including why we’ve fallen out of love with chain restaurants, what’s happening to America’s coal mines and what living on minimum wage looks like across the country.

The stories you "liked" the most (encore)

Back in 2017, we visited three cities: Dalton, Georgia; Gillette, Wyoming; and Corvallis, Oregon. In each place, we met with the mayor and with folks around town, getting a sense of the economy there and how it’s changing. We visited carpet factories and coal mines, spoke to students and business owners, and found unique stories of economic change — and how it affects real people and their lives.

Three mayors, three economies (encore)

A lot happened in 2017, and we’re returning to one particular natural disaster that changed Puerto Rico from top to bottom. As communities on the island have recovered, there’s a trail of money to follow behind it all. This week, we are revisiting this hourlong special on the economics of disaster. We head to Puerto Rico to examine life on the ground following Hurricane Maria. We look at the debt situation, the realities of life when the lights stay out and what it takes to bring power back. Plus, Puerto Rico’s dairy farmers and a surprising boom in renewable energy. Also, recovery in Texas and how Florida is handling an influx of Puerto Ricans fleeing the damage from Hurricane Maria.

12/22/17: How do you put a price on nostalgia?

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