The Best One Yet
🏒 “Hockey Fight” — Canada’s electric weapon. MrBeast’s chocolate surprise. Southwest’s Godfather fee.
Wed, 12 Mar 2025
The US stock market began dropping after losing to Canada in hockey… b/c the trade war is a hockey fight.MrBeast’s business is worth $5B… but he makes more money on chocolate than content.Southwest just killed its famous “Bags fly free”... and it reminds us of a lesson from The Godfather.Plus, Trader Joe’s has the greatest art collection in America (and we can prove it)...$LUV $AMZN $SPYWant more business storytelling from us? Check out the latest episode of our new weekly deepdive show: The untold origin story of… Costco’s Kirkland đźŚ. Subscribe to The Best Idea Yet: Wondery.fm/TheBestIdeaYetLinks to listen.“The Best Idea Yet”: The untold origin stories of the products you’re obsessed with — From the McDonald’s Happy Meal to Birkenstock’s sandal to Nintendo’s Susper Mario Brothers to Sriracha. New 45-minute episodes drop weekly.—-----------------------------------------------------Subscribe to our new (2nd) show… The Best Idea Yet: Wondery.fm/TheBestIdeaYetLinksEpisodes drop weekly. It’s The Best Idea Yet.GET ON THE POD: Submit a shoutout or fact: https://tboypod.com/shoutouts FOR MORE NICK & JACK: Newsletter: https://tboypod.com/newsletter Connect with Nick: https://www.linkedin.com/in/nicolas-martell/ Connect with Jack: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jack-crivici-kramer/ SOCIALS:Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/tboypod TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@tboypodYouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@tboypod Anything else: https://tboypod.com/ Subscribe to our new (2nd) show… The Best Idea Yet: Wondery.fm/TheBestIdeaYetLinksEpisodes drop weekly. It’s The Best Idea Yet.See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.
Chapter 1: What triggered the US-Canada trade war?
I'm such a retail diva these days. Jack's a tar-shaped girly. All right, three stories for today's show. What do we got on the project? For our first story, Canada just hit the United States with a new thing, a 25% fee on Canadian electricity. Trade wars, they follow the same pattern as hockey fights. When one side drops the gloves, the other side drops the gloves.
For our second story, we just got the financials on the business of Mr. Beast. It's actually a $5 billion company. And the world's greatest creator surprisingly makes more money on candy than he does on content. And our third and final story, Southwest Airlines just deleted its most beloved perk. It's gone. No more free checked bags. Besties, can you put a price on love? Yes.
Actually, yes, you can. We calculated it. There is a price. We actually calculated the price on lost love for this story. Which is the worst kind of love. You don't want to lose that love. But yetis, we're going to pivot back to love because the greatest art collection in the country isn't an art gallery at all. No, the greatest art collection in the country is actually at Trader Joe's. Get this.
According to the New York Times, Trader Joe's grocery stores are America's best art galleries. Jack, you're going to have to sprinkle on more context for us, please. The art critic Julie Averbach just published a book, The Art of Trader Joe's. She also wrote her thesis at Yale on the Trader Joe's art style. That's right. She's an Ivy League-trained Trader Joe's enthusiast.
You like the Renaissance painters? Nah, I really like the Trader Joe's chalkboardists. Why is she so into TJ's? Because Trader Joe's actually fills each location with unique and locally relevant art. Jack, let's just look at the East Village Trader Joe's back in New York City. It's the busiest Trader Joe's in the country. We live two blocks away. We shop there all the time.
And when you wander into aisle six of that Trader Joe's, what are you going to see, Jack? Their salad sign is inspired by a 19th century Augustus Caesar sculpture because of Caesar salad. And Trader Joe's coffee section sign was inspired by a Rodin drawing. Vincent Van Gogh, Edward Hopper, Leonardo da Vinci. Each artist's style is subtly referenced on Trader Joe's chalkboards and wall mural.
In fact, there are over 150 permanent pieces of art at that one Trader Joe's location. It's insane. And guess what? It's not just that one 14th Street Trader Joe's. No, get this. Each Trader Joe's employs an in-house artist to make that location unique art. That's right. They have a bunch of cashiers, a bunch of stockers, and an artist at every Trader Joe's.
I mean, the sad part here, Jack, we both shopped at that epic Trader Joe's in New York City about a million times. And we never noticed all the amazing artwork that's apparently all over the place. which leads to our takeaway on the Trader Joe's art collection. Don't just look at the price tags and the nutrition facts when you're shopping at Trader Joe's.
Next time you're in line, look around at the artwork around you. You don't need to go to the Louvre to find beautiful things. Just look over there at that lettuce sign because Trader Joe's art gallery is the new Guggenheim. Your move, Whole Foods. It's magnificent. Jack, let's hit our three stars.
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Chapter 2: How is MrBeast making money from chocolate?
Chapter 3: What happened to Southwest Airlines' free checked bags?
This is Nick. This is Jack. It's Wednesday, ceviche Wednesday, March 12th. And today's pod is the best one yet. This is a T-Boy. The top three stories at the intersection of business and pop culture. All right, the last two episodes, Jack, you revealed you're a Maxinista. And he told us you only eat Costco Kirkland food. What are you going to reel in this episode?
I'm such a retail diva these days. Jack's a tar-shaped girly. All right, three stories for today's show. What do we got on the project? For our first story, Canada just hit the United States with a new thing, a 25% fee on Canadian electricity. Trade wars, they follow the same pattern as hockey fights. When one side drops the gloves, the other side drops the gloves.
For our second story, we just got the financials on the business of Mr. Beast. It's actually a $5 billion company. And the world's greatest creator surprisingly makes more money on candy than he does on content. And our third and final story, Southwest Airlines just deleted its most beloved perk. It's gone. No more free checked bags. Besties, can you put a price on love? Yes.
Actually, yes, you can. We calculated it. There is a price. We actually calculated the price on lost love for this story. Which is the worst kind of love. You don't want to lose that love. But yetis, we're going to pivot back to love because the greatest art collection in the country isn't an art gallery at all. No, the greatest art collection in the country is actually at Trader Joe's. Get this.
According to the New York Times, Trader Joe's grocery stores are America's best art galleries. Jack, you're going to have to sprinkle on more context for us, please. The art critic Julie Averbach just published a book, The Art of Trader Joe's. She also wrote her thesis at Yale on the Trader Joe's art style. That's right. She's an Ivy League-trained Trader Joe's enthusiast.
You like the Renaissance painters? Nah, I really like the Trader Joe's chalkboardists. Why is she so into TJ's? Because Trader Joe's actually fills each location with unique and locally relevant art. Jack, let's just look at the East Village Trader Joe's back in New York City. It's the busiest Trader Joe's in the country. We live two blocks away. We shop there all the time.
And when you wander into aisle six of that Trader Joe's, what are you going to see, Jack? Their salad sign is inspired by a 19th century Augustus Caesar sculpture because of Caesar salad. And Trader Joe's coffee section sign was inspired by a Rodin drawing. Vincent Van Gogh, Edward Hopper, Leonardo da Vinci. Each artist's style is subtly referenced on Trader Joe's chalkboards and wall mural.
In fact, there are over 150 permanent pieces of art at that one Trader Joe's location. It's insane. And guess what? It's not just that one 14th Street Trader Joe's. No, get this. Each Trader Joe's employs an in-house artist to make that location unique art. That's right. They have a bunch of cashiers, a bunch of stockers, and an artist at every Trader Joe's.
I mean, the sad part here, Jack, we both shopped at that epic Trader Joe's in New York City about a million times. And we never noticed all the amazing artwork that's apparently all over the place. which leads to our takeaway on the Trader Joe's art collection. Don't just look at the price tags and the nutrition facts when you're shopping at Trader Joe's.
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Chapter 4: Why is Trader Joe's considered an art gallery?
Apparently, there's a portrait that some artist did of Mona Lisa, and it's got a name tag, like a Trader Joe's name tag, and it says Mona L. And then turn to the person next to you in line and say, hey, H-Y-H-T-B-O-Y. Have you had the best one yet? That is how we grow the show. It really is when you tell your buddies about T-Boy. Jack, I'll see you tomorrow.
And before we go, a happy birthday to Yeti Brian Stewart down in lovely Conroe, Texas. And happy birthday to Alex Goh in New York, New York. And Brent Cousinby Behrens turning 46 years old down in Santa Clarita, California. With the whole Brady Bunch and the Los Angeles Lakers.
And the legendary bestie, Tyler Rice, who is at our live show in New York City, just released a book, Tactical Disconnection. Congratulations on the publishing, Tyler. And to anyone else celebrating something today, make it a T-boy. Celebrate the wins. Oh, and check out our latest episode of The Best Idea Yet, because it's all about Costco's Kirkland brand. This is Jack.
I own stock of Amazon and I recently bought stock in Lyft. If you like the best one yet, you can listen ad-free right now by joining Wondery Plus in the Wondery app or on Apple Podcasts. Prime members can listen ad-free on Amazon Music. And before you go, tell us a little bit about yourself by filling out a short survey at wondery.com slash survey. We want to get to know you.