Support the fact-based journalism you rely on with a donation to Marketplace today. Give Now!

Marielle Segarra

Senior Reporter

SHORT BIO

Marielle Segarra is a former reporter for Marketplace. She covers taxes and consumer psychology. She covered retail, consumer psychology and the economy. One topic she enjoyed exploring: how we shop – and the emotions that come up as we do. Pride. Guilt. Frustration. She also followed small businesses as they find their way in the pandemic and is always trying to show people how the ins and outs of the economy are relevant to their lives.

What was your first job?

Summer camp counselor to a bunch of 5-year-olds.

In your next life, what would your career be?

I think I would still want to create things. Maybe I'd be a chef. Or an interior designer. Or I'd write for a TV show.

Fill in the blank: Money can’t buy you happiness, but it can buy you ______.

Financial stability, which is a good start.

What’s the favorite item in your workspace and why?

My stash of chocolate.

Latest Stories (452)

Activists propose reforming policing by cutting budgets

Jun 1, 2020
In a lot of cities, policing eats up a big chunk of the general fund.
Police block a road in Minneapolis as protests against police brutality continue.
Scott Olson/Getty Images

Around the world, tourism boards are vying for your post-pandemic travel dollars

May 29, 2020
Scotland, Switzerland, South Africa, Germany, Mexico, Indonesia — they all want to be first on your list when you can travel again.
Tourists visit Edinburgh Castle in Scotland in January. In some countries, tourism can account for 20% or even 30% of GDP.
Jeff J Mitchell/Getty Images

Distressed retailers play "hot potato" with landlords and suppliers

May 28, 2020
Everyone is trying to pass the economic pan to someone else.
A "closed" sign on the Victoria's Secret shop in Herald Square.
Eduardo Munoz Alvarez/Getty Images

Sephora's reopening offers a glimpse into pandemic-era beauty retail

May 21, 2020
What is Sephora without the makeup testing stations and facials?
A Sephora store in Chicago. The beauty chain will reopen Friday, but the in-store experience will be different.
Scott Olson/Getty Images

What is it like to reopen a restaurant right now?

May 20, 2020
The restaurant industry faces a huge challenge: not just how to reopen safely, but how to make customers feel safe.
A restaurant reopens its in-person service in Brookhaven, Georgia, on April 27.
Jessica McGowan/Getty Images

What do April's dismal retail sales mean for chains filing Chapter 11?

May 15, 2020
Retail sales numbers fell by more than 16% in April. For clothing retailers, they were down by 79%.
A store closing its doors in Chicago. Sales have plummeted, especially for apparel shops.
Scott Olson/Getty Images

How to choose a cloth face mask (and avoid the long wait for it)

May 15, 2020
It can be hard to know what you’re getting, whether it will be effective, and whether it will arrive at all.
Look for masks that have multiple layers, made from fabrics that are easy to wash and tightly woven, with a high yarn count.
Joseph Prezioso/AFP via Getty Images

Stores and restaurants are reopening, but should you go back?

May 11, 2020
An informal Twitter survey shows that safety concerns stirred by the pandemic are keeping people away.
A waitress wearing gloves and a mask carries food at a Tennessee restaurant on April 27. Tennessee was one of the first states to reopen restaurants.
Jason Kempin/Getty Images

What will COVID-19 do to shopping malls?

May 6, 2020
They were struggling before the coronavirus pandemic. If anchor stores close, that could have a domino effect on smaller shops.
The Westfield Annapolis Mall is barricaded and closed in Annapolis, Maryland, in March.
Jim Watson/AFP via Getty Images

For retailers, reopening means rethinking everything about a store

May 5, 2020
Precautions will likely start at the door as customers return to nonessential retailers. Shopping will be a different experience.
A reopened mall in Franklin, Tennessee, on May 2. Going shopping is likely to look quite different for awhile.
Brett Carlsen/Getty Images