Business Insider launches ‘Household Name’ podcast

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• Did you know that TGI Fridays used to be THE hot spot in Manhattan for young 20-somethings? In the 1960s, it was the cool place to go out and meet other singles, kind of like the retail industry’s version of Tinder.
• That’s the first episode of Business Insider’s new podcast, “Household Name.”
• “Household Name” features surprising stories about the world’s biggest brands. We’ve traveled the nation to find you the last standing Blockbuster, the inventor of the Starbucks Pumpkin Spice Latte, and much more.
• The podcast premieres on July 25. Subscribe on Apple Podcasts, Stitcher, or wherever you listen.

You’ve heard of TGI Fridays.

Did you know it might have helped your parents get frisky?

Yup. (Sorry!)

It was the spot in Manhattan for young 20-somethings in the 1960s to go out and meet each other, kind of like the retail industry’s version of Tinder. It was not at all the family restaurant staple you find in America’s malls today.

Alan Stillman, the founder of TGI Fridays, outside the original location in Manhattan.Courtesy of Alan Stillman

For the past six months, Business Insider’s audio team has been working on a new podcast, “Household Name.” The show premieres today on Apple Podcasts, Stitcher, and all your favorite podcast apps.

With “Household Name,” Business Insider’s reporters and producers travel the nation to bring you the little-known stories behind some of the best-known brands.

We visit the last remaining Blockbuster Videos in Alaska. We speak to the Starbucks employee who invented the Pumpkin Spice Latte. And we learn how Donald and Ivana Trump once saved Pizza Hut’s stuffed-crust pizza.

The show’s host and mastermind is Dan Bobkoff, Business Insider’s executive producer. He thinks it’s interesting shoppers seem to love and religiously use all these brands they really know little about.

“They’re where we work, and shop, where we make things. They’re where many difficult and important moments happen in our lives. Really, most of your life is navigated through brands,” Bobkoff says.

“So on this show, we’ll find the surprising tales behind America’s biggest companies, and how they changed our lives.”

Click to subscribe for free and listen.BIIf you’re ready to give it a listen, subscribe for free here. New episodes will be released weekly, but you can binge the first six episodes ad-free today by signing up for Stitcher Premium at this link, and use promo code HOUSEHOLD for the first month free.

Household Name is also available on:

Stitcher, Spotify, Overcast, Google Play, Pocket Casts, Podcast Addict, Castbox, and more.

And check out Business Insider’s other podcast, “This Is Success,” which explores the career paths of the world’s most successful people.