Major Thursday Vibes

Broad Brief

Philadelphia's Weekly Wallet-Focused Newsletter

Issue #4 · May 14, 2026 · By Mike O'Connell

Happy Thursday, folks! Pardon my absence last week, I was in beautiful Albuquerque, NM for a bachelor party. That was my first time in the state and hopefully not the last. Highly recommend for the authentic food and incredible views! I'm excited to be back with you this week and if you make it through this 1,945 word newsletter and enjoy it, please share with a friend!

🏢Shameless plug: Insurance giant Chubb opened its new Philadelphia office in late April. The $380m investment at 2000 Arch Street has 18 floors, is 438,000 sq. ft., and will serve as home for nearly 3,000 Chubb employees. Lucky me!

WELCOME TO ARONIMINK

PGA Championship Begins at Historic Philly Course

Aronimink Golf Club · Newtown Square, PA

The suburbs of the City of Brotherly Love will get a lot more crowded this weekend. One of the many can't-miss sporting events happening in Philadelphia in 2026, the PGA Championship, will bring 156 of the world's best players to Newtown Square for a chance to take home the Wanamaker Trophy.

The tournament is expected to bring in nearly 200,000 people to the Philadelphia area and an estimated $125m economic impact. Not bad for a few days of knocking a ball around some grass.

Tickpick currently offers the lowest general admission tickets to the event.

Thursday, May 14: From $172+
Friday, May 15: From $167+
Saturday, May 16: From $221+
Sunday, May 17: From $243+

Will you be attending this week? If so, I'd love to hear about your experience and can share with our readers next week.

THIS WEEK'S NUMBER

40%

Tomato prices have risen 40% year over year, driven by a combination of tariffs on Mexican produce and climate-related disruptions. For Philadelphians who crave hoagies, fresh produce, and delicacies found in Italian Market, this news can hit close to home. (Yahoo)

ON THE BOARD

Jobs, homes & headlines worth knowing

💼	Hot Job General Manager at BATHHOUSE — $80k+ salary · Bellevue Hotel · Operations manager role overseeing all departments at new wellness spa. Apply Here!

🏠	Home of the Week $6.25M Townhouse in Rittenhouse Square, 5,181 sqft., 4 bed/5 bath, magnificent views of Rittenhouse Square

🛒	Grocery Run Whole Foods is opening a smaller format store, Whole Foods Market Daily Shop, on South Street in the near future.

MONEY MATTERS

We asked and you answered. Read on for an inside look at one Philadelphian's relationship with money.

💸	This Week's Confession Mid-40s · Fairmount · Senior Manager, Accounting Firm

What do you earn per year?

"Combined my wife and I are around $420k. I'm a Senior Manager at a Big 4 firm base is $245k plus a bonus that's ranged anywhere from $50k to $70k depending on the year. My wife runs operations for a large law firm downtown and earns $130k. We started out making maybe $50-$60k each straight out of college."

Rent or own?

"We own our house. A nearly identical house a few blocks down is going for nearly double what we paid 12 years ago. Although it's tempting with these seller prices, we're not moving anytime soon!"

Do you have kids? What's the biggest money stress there?

"Two kids — 8 and 4. The stress right now is private school. Currently sending our oldest to school and our adding our youngest will run us ~$20k a year per kid. Home school may be an option at this rate."

Your #1 Philadelphia money tip?

"Don't let the income fool you. I know plenty of people in this city making $250k, $300k who are stretched. Taxes hit hard at this level, private school is a second mortgage, and the lifestyle in certain Philly neighborhoods has a way of expanding to meet whatever you earn. Max your 401(k), kill high-interest debt, buy a house you can actually afford. Everything else is noise."

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MARKETS

S&P 500

7,444

▲ 8.5% YTD

Nasdaq

26,402

▲ 13.6% YTD

As of market close Wednesday. YTD from Jan 1 open.

HOUSEKEEPING

Fiorella is Michelin Rated For a Reason

Rigatoni w/ Fiorella Sausage Ragu · $26

Fiorella was a three-generation butcher shop in South Philadelphia before Marc Vetri transformed it into one of the city's best, most celebrated pasta bars.

Weekend reservations are hard to come by, so plan ahead. I'd recommend going on a weekday and sitting outside if possible. Upstairs, the Pasta Club runs a set tasting menu at $85 per person. Downstairs and outside is à la carte, where the rigatoni pictured above is a staple.

Rigatoni w/ Fiorella Sausage Ragù — $26: The house signature. Rich, slow-cooked, and deeply satisfying
Tonnarelli Cacio e Pepe — $24: Two ingredients! A benchmark version of a Roman classic.
Ricotta Gnocchi w/ Leeks — $24: Cloud-like, bathed in brown butter.

Book at least 2–3 weeks out on OpenTable.

TAKING YOUR PULSE

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Last week's question was a reminder to share the newsletter!

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See you next Thursday. 🏙️

— Mike O'Connell
Broad Brief · Philadelphia, PA

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