That’s how much Alan Stillman borrowed from his mother to short-lease a bar. That was in 1965, when a post-prohibition New York still lacked options for co-ed drinking — bars were mostly populated by men. Wanting to meet more single women, Stillman opened a bar with touches of home decor, and waiters dressed in red and white striped shirts. It was a huge success, and is credited with starting the trend known as “fern bars.” Oh, and the name of that revolutionary establishment? TGI Fridays. The New Yorker has the story behind the growth of the franchise, and how it shaped a taste for sugary drinks.
That’s how much one Greek — Christos Karantas, a freelance journalist based in Athens — budgeted for groceries this week. With bank withdrawals capped at $66 a day, Greeks like Karantas are paying a lot of attention to how much they spend on any given day. We’ve got the breakdown of what his weekly spending looks like while Greek banks remain closed.
That’s how many pharmacies Walgreens gained access to in the UK in its purchase of Alliance Boots, a European drugstore and healthcare products company. It’s part of a larger plan to not only raise the profile of the store among people who need to get prescriptions filled, but also to increase visibility of other kinds of products — like food and cosmetics — that customers will buy while in the store.
That’s how much China’s Shenzhen stock market rose on Thursday. The Shanghai Composite rose 5.8 percent. As the Wall Street Journal reports, it was the largest single-day gain for the Chinese stock market in six years. This followed a major tumble that forced a halt of trading by the Chinese government. Shenzhen recently became a haven for entrepreneurial tech companies looking to get away from state ownership. But with recent market activity bursting the boom, many of those same companies are now suffering the consequences.
That’s how many accounts you can now prioritize in your Facebook newsfeed as part of an update for the iOS app. Mashable writes that it’s one of several changes Facebook is rolling out to make the newsfeed more personalized.
There’s a lot happening in the world. Through it all, Marketplace is here for you.
You rely on Marketplace to break down the world’s events and tell you how it affects you in a fact-based, approachable way. We rely on your financial support to keep making that possible.
Your donation today powers the independent journalism that you rely on. For just $5/month, you can help sustain Marketplace so we can keep reporting on the things that matter to you.
