The 'retail apocalypse' is upon us, they say. In the United States, 2017 saw emptied malls, shuttered department stores, and once-iconic brands falling into bankruptcy. Yet retail spending continues to grow, in strange new directions that could have significant effects. What will shopping look like in the future? How will these changes reverberate throughout the country? Atlantic editor Gillian White joins our hosts to discuss. If you listen to Radio Atlantic, we value your feedback. Please help us out by answering a quick survey. It should only take a few minutes. Just to go theatlantic.com/podcastsurvey. Links - “The 4 Reasons Why 2017 Is a Tipping Point for Retail” (Derek Thompson, November 16, 2017) - “All the Ways Retail’s Decline Could Hurt America’s Towns” (Alana Semuels, May 2017) - “The Future of Retail Is Stores That Aren’t Stores” (Joe Pinsker, September 14, 2017) - “How to Rebuild After the Retail Apocalypse” (Richard Florida, December 23, 2017) - “How Dollar General Became Rural America’s Store of Choice” (Sarah Nassauer, Wall Street Journal, December 15, 2017) - Futureface (Alex Wagner, 2018) - “The Appropriate Weight of Grief” (Michael Zadoorian, ART + marketing, May 6, 2016) - “The Lesson of the Moth” (Don Marquis) Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices