Niche to Meet You

🍳Regional Cooking, 🗡️Armored MMA Combat, & 🧊 Rubik's Cubing: Niches on the Road ✈️🚂🚗


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Three wildly different niches that all find their purpose in being on the road. 

LINKS:

  • Join the Niche List (our monthly newsletter…er, Nicheletter)
  • Become a part of the United Nicheons, the Niche to Meet You Patreon
  • BUY MERCH!!!!!
  • Have feedback or just want to say hi? Email us: [email protected]


Thanks to our show sponsor, 1440 Daily News Digest. Click here to join the 4 million folks getting great news in their inbox every day (like, Leslie)!


EPISODE NOTES:

We all have our "third spaces," those social surroundings that aren't our homes or workplaces. These are the places where we feel a sense of belonging, comfort, and community—like cafés, bookstores, or even the local bar where everybody knows your name. But what happens when all three of your spaces are transient? When your work and home are constantly shifting, where do you find your third spaces, and what kinds of hobbies thrive in such a lifestyle?

In this episode, we explore the hobbies and niche subcultures that find their purpose in, or are affected by being on the road. From the stories of touring musicians Zach and Maggie White (who bring the flavors and experiences of their travels into their kitchen through regional cooking), to Spencer Waddell (a vagabond longswordsman and armored MMA combat fighter whose life revolves around historical reenactments and sword fighting), and from Shook (middle school speed cuber) to Jon Schneck (Relient K guitarist and creator of Cubiversity), we hear the unique dynamics of being on the road and being part of a niche subculture.  


ABOUT NICHE TO MEET YOU:

Niche to Meet You is an investigative storytelling podcast about the little-known niche interests. Our work has been featured on Nashville Public Radio and has been seen in the likes of The Guardian and the 1440 newsletter. Our stories introduce listeners to folks involved with things like Warhammer 40,000, Rubik’s cube enthusiasts and competitors, armored combat champions, professional Santas and Mrs. Clauses, and more. It's like if Mr. Rogers Neighborhood and Revisionist History teamed up for a Netflix special. 

LEARN MORE ABOUT THE SHOW HERE.


SHOW CREDITS: 

Senior producer/host: Leslie Thompson (IG: @leslieeilerthompson, leslieethompson.com)

Associate producer: Chris Thiessen 

Episode mastered by Kevin Morris

Show theme composed by Abigail Flowers

Show artwork by Rachel Hardacre

See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

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Niche to Meet YouBy Leslie Eiler Thompson

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