It's the Brian Lairn Show on WNYC. Good morning again, everyone. I'm Bridget Bergen, sitting in for Brian today.

Molly Fisher's latest story in The New Yorker begins with the basic assumption that Costco is in a golden age

and tries to understand how a warehouse store ended up with such an outsized place in American life.

She writes about how the warehouse experience with all its parking hassles and long lines

has somehow become part of Costco's appeal and how word of mouth,

not advertising, helped build its almost mythic reputation. Her piece looks at the values that

shaped Costco's rise from its promise of abundance at low markups to the role of leaders like Jim

Senegal, the rare CEO remembered as both successful and beloved.

But she also reports on the tensions beneath that feel-good image, new union activity,

shrinking workplace perks, and questions about whether the culture that made Costco special

can endure as the company gets bigger. So what exactly makes Costco Costco? And can this

golden age endure? With us now is Molly Fisher's staff writer at the New Yorker. Molly, welcome to

WNYC. Thank you so much for having me. It's a delight to be here. And listeners, we'd especially

love to hear from people who work at Costco or used to.

How has the workplace culture changed over the years?

What feels the same?

What's changed?

And for shoppers, what keeps you loyal to Costco or what maybe pushed you away?

Call in and tell us your Costco story.

The numbers 212-433 W-N-YC. That's 212-433-9-6-9-2. You can also text that number.

And, Molly, you begin the piece with the detail that your family's Costco in San Jose opened the same week you were born.

How did starting there help you understand the personal relationship so many people seem to have with Costco? I was kind of shocked

...