“Capitalism Gone Bad”: 30 People Remember Third Places That Have Disappeared

One of the earliest examples of third places are tea houses tracing back to ancient Chinese communities and the Jin dynasty, around 265–316 AD. At first, they were considered a symbol of status where people could frivolously spend their money on tea in public. 

Later, they evolved into meeting places where local people celebrated and had business and friendly meetings daily. These were the hubs where they shared their creative ideas and generated innovations.

Flash forward to the 17th century, and the owners of coffee houses were severely punished by Sultan Murad IV of the Ottoman Empire and King Charles II of England because they felt threatened by the ‘radical ideas’ that were shared in these places.

The term third place was popularized by urban sociologist Raymond Oldenberg, who described it as “public places on neutral ground where people can gather and interact. In contrast to first places (home) and second places (work), Third Places allow people to put aside their concerns and simply enjoy the company and conversation around them.”

Writer, social media director, and brand strategist Nathan Allebach, who went viral in 2022 after posting a TikTok video on this topic, said to Bored Panda, "Third spaces have traditionally been the low-to-no-cost entry places where communities gathered. They could be public squares where there might be a fountain, statue, or bulletin board; they could be libraries, cafes, barber shops, pubs, music venues, skate parks, or any other place with a magnetic pull for people to hang out for more than just a quick purchase."

Dr. Narae Lee, a scholar at Pennsylvania State University, has researched the impact of these locations and proposes that “one of the important features of 'third places' is social contact, either directly or indirectly,” Lee says. “In third places, you can enjoy direct social interaction with other people by chatting and enjoying activities with them.”

They help us form our individual and collective identities beyond our home or work. In a sense, they are a communal social hub that is becoming more important to our psychological well-being while living in a society where loneliness is increasing. Even if you aren’t actively participating in socializing, just showing up can do wonders. 

“It’s crucial for people to escape from a sense of loneliness and build a sense of community. Some people go to third places to be surrounded by other people, watch them, and rest while just enjoying the ambiance and white noise,” Lee says.

In the 1950s, these social hubs resided in the local diner, the library, the bowling hall, and hair salons. The 1990s and the emergence of the iconic TV show Friends again popularized coffee shops where people could come in to meet up with others, catch up about their day, and dissociate from their daily routines.

Seeing a huge opportunity there, Howard Schultz, former CEO of Starbucks, changed the layout of their store to include warm colors, coffee tones, and comfortable seating. He was aware of the need for community and described their new design as “intended from day one to build a Third Place between home and work... at a time in America when people are hungry for human connection.”

However, with the introduction of the internet and Wi-Fi, these places started to lose the community aspect. Now many people come to them, put in their earbuds, keep their heads down, and focus on their electronic devices. Coffee shops or more specifically, Starbucks, are embracing it and changing their layouts once again. From previous inviting and communal spaces, locations have reduced the number of seats and introduced uncomfortable furniture, and blank walls, encouraging people to leave promptly.