Modern Retail Podcast

Hosted ByCale Weissman & Gabi Barkho

The Modern Retail Podcast is a podcast about the retail space, from legacy companies to the buzzy world of DTC startups. Every Thursday, Cale Weissman, editor of Modern Retail, interviews executives about their growth and marketing strategies. And every Saturday Gabi Barkho, senior reporter, sits down with the Modern Retail staff to chat about the latest headlines in the retail world.


All Episodes

The Modern Retail Podcast | Rundown: Waffle House’s egg surcharge, Chipotle downplays avocado concerns & Gap launches vintage drops series

On this episode of the Modern Retail Rundown, the staff looks at the impact of rising ingredient costs. For instance, this week Waffle House announced it’s implementing a $0.50...

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The Modern Retail Podcast | How Modern Animal is using technology to make pet care more customer-centric

Most founders are loath to compare their businesses to other companies. Not the veterinary care startup Modern Animal. “We were definitely inspired by One Medical early on,” said Steven...

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The Modern Retail Podcast | Rundown: Brands shuffle import strategies, retail layoffs & Chili’s makes a comeback

On this week’s Modern Retail Rundown, the staff checks in on the latest tariff and import tax policy changes that are impacting U.S.-based brands. Meanwhile, layoffs across the industry...

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The Modern Retail Podcast | How Whatnot is pushing social commerce forward amid TikTok’s uncertain future

During the weekend when TikTok was briefly offline, Whatnot — a platform that lets online brands and merchants sell products via livestreams on its app and website — saw...

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The Modern Retail Podcast | Rundown: Theft ring to pay back retailers, TikTok updates and VF Corp layoffs

In this week’s Modern Retail Rundown, the staff discusses the latest retail news headlines. First, we dive into the latest developments about a retail theft ring that cost companies...

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The Modern Retail Podcast | How Renais is trying to make ultra-premium gin popular in the U.S.

Renais has lofty ambitions to be the leading global ultra-premium gin brand. The company, which launched in 2023 in Europe and expanded to the U.S. last year, just raised...

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The Modern Retail Podcast | Rundown: Joann’s second bankruptcy, Walgreens looks for new anti-theft solutions & new FDA health proposals

On this week’s Modern Retail Rundown, the staff gives an update on Joann’s latest bankruptcy filing, the second in 10 months for the craft retailer. Meanwhile, Walgreens CEO Timothy...

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The Modern Retail Podcast | How THC-infused beverage brand Cann is capitalizing on Dry January

With New Year’s resolutions in full force, brands are trying to cash in on Dry January. Cannabis-infused beverage brand Cann, in fact, usually sees its sales jump every January...

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The Modern Retail Podcast | Rundown: J.C. Penney merges with Sparc, Amazon’s new retail ad service & Target doubles down on wellness

On this week’s Modern Retail Rundown, the staff begins by discussing the latest retail merger. Struggling department store J.C. Penney is merging with Sparc Group to form a new...

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The Modern Retail Podcast | How Gregorys Coffee is taking the craft coffee business to scale

Where Starbucks zigs, Gregorys Coffee zags. That’s at least been the unofficial strategy for the cafe chain over the last few years. Gregorys, which initially launched in 2006 in...

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The Modern Retail Podcast | Rundown: Return fraud on the rise, Nordstrom going private and Big Lots’ lifeline

On this week’s Modern Retail Rundown episode, the staff discusses several updates coming off of 2024. First up, a new report from Appriss shows that fraudulent returns totaled $103...

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The Modern Retail Podcast | The Modern Retail Podcast looks at what’s ahead in 2025

On this week’s Modern Retail Podcast, three members of the editorial team dive into what’s to come in 2025. Senior reporter Gabriela Barko, managing editor Anna Hensel and senior...

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The Modern Retail Podcast | AI, customer acquisition and the DTC bust: The Modern Retail Podcast year in review

On this week’s Modern Retail Podcast, we’re looking back at some of the best episodes from the last year. Host Cale Guthrie Weissman walks us through some of the...

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The Modern Retail Podcast | Rundown: U.S. retail sales, Big Lots’ liquidation & Vuori’s new fundraise

On this week’s Modern Retail Rundown: November saw the U.S.’s monthly retail revenue grow by 0.7%, with solid holiday sales expected to come. Meanwhile, Big Lots said it is...

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The Modern Retail Podcast | How Puma approaches emerging technology like generative AI

Puma may be a legacy brand, but it’s not scared to test out new technologies. Indeed, if there’s a buzzy update, it’s likely the company has launched some sort...

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