Episode 128: Friend or Foe? : Planet Money On today's show, Planet Money stakes out New York City's diamond, plant, and chess districts to answer a nagging question: Why do stores that all sell the same thing set up shop right next to each other?

Episode 128: Friend or Foe?

Episode 128: Friend or Foe?

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Friend or Foe in NYC's Chess District? Chana Joffe-Walt/NPR hide caption

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Chana Joffe-Walt/NPR

Why do businesses selling the same thing crowd around each other rather than strike out on their own?

To answer that question, Adam Davidson and Chana Joffe-Walt walk through some New York City neighborhoods – the diamond district, the plant district, the chess district — where store after store sells the exact same thing.

Download the Planet Money iPhone App. Music: Busta Rhymes' "Hustler's Anthem 09." Find us: Twitter/Facebook/ Spotify/ Tumblr. Note: This podcast originally aired in December, 2009.