Third Place?
So, I’m in Brooklyn visiting my friend, the incredibly talented musician Katy Gunn, and she invites me to her favorite morning coffee spot. When I show up, I see a circle of ten chairs, each occupied by someone deep in conversation. I must’ve looked curious because Katy just smiled and said:
"Same crew, every morning. At first, I thought they were all retired or sitting on trust funds, but nope. Just freelancers and mavericks looking for a place where they can see a familiar face every day."
By day two, I already felt like one of the gang. It got me thinking about this concept of "third places." If you haven’t heard of it, a third place is outside the home (the first place) and work (the second place), where people go simply because they want to. It’s about community, not obligation. Sociologist Ray Oldenburg coined the term in his 1989 book, The Great Good Place. He identified eight key characteristics of third places:
- Neutral Ground: No one’s in charge; come and go as you please.
- A Leveling Place: Status doesn’t matter—everyone’s equal.
- Conversation is Key: Whether it’s talking, jamming, or sketching.
- Accessibility: Open to all, no gatekeeping.
- Regulars: The heartbeat of the place.
- Low-Key Vibes: Cozy and comfortable, not intimidating.
- Playful Atmosphere: Conversations flow, creativity sparks.
- A Second Home: A place where you belong.
So, why am I bringing this up? Because many of the listeners I meet and interview have lost their "third places." They tell me it used to be the record store, the local library, or a concert venue. Those still exist, but they’re becoming more challenging to find, especially as more of our lives go digital. It made me wonder—can digital spaces replace physical third places?
I stumbled across a fantastic article by Aini Yeskhozhina on this very topic. She writes:
“Critics of the new (digital) third place accuse it of annihilating civil society. Why do we feel safer expressing ourselves online? Why do we avoid real social interaction? And why are we unable to build relationships in real life?”
It’s a valid point. Sure, online spaces can feel liberating, but they also come with their share of problems—harassment, trolling, and often a lack of real connection. In physical spaces, there are natural boundaries. You can’t just ghost someone who’s sitting right next to you. These places creates tighter, more genuine communities because of it.
But there’s hope in the hybrids. I recently talked to the folks at Elsewhere, a venue in Bushwick that’s nailed the balance between the real and digital. They’ve created an online space that builds on their live events, and some members even describe it as their “second home.” It’s the best of both worlds—using digital tools to enhance real-life connections, not replace them.
And, of course, artists always create third places—without even realizing it. Concerts, album release parties, and even those intimate living room shows become spaces where music lovers and the curious find their community. Could extending these physical third places into digital ones help ease the loneliness many people feel today?
I’d love to hear your thoughts on this. Is it possible for digital third places to amplify our beloved physical ones?
Stay tuned,
Anna
