Shashu Amen Ra leads African dance lessons at Concert of Colors festival in Detroit, July 18, 2024. Photo by Daniel Mears, The Detroit News.

The first place in a person’s life is home, the second is work, and the third is a “third place.” A third place is somewhere a person chooses to go, not out of obligation but because they enjoy being there. Third places offer opportunities to meet both like-minded people and people with different views, catch up with old friends, or make new connections. These places can include bars, gyms, coffee shops, parks, libraries, and more. The key elements of third places are that they should be accessible, affordable, and be a place that people regularly go to. Although many people may not consciously consider the importance of third places, these places play a crucial role in bringing people together and forming a sense of community.

The term “third place” was coined in 1991 by Ray Oldenburg in his book “The Great Good Place.” He argued that these places were essential to local democracy and community vitality. Oldenburg thought third places to be a space where social classes and backgrounds can be “leveled out” and promote a feeling of social equality. In these places, people from diverse backgrounds could come together in a shared community to discuss a wide variety of topics. Through face-to-face interactions, they can foster a sense of community and unity, which in turn creates feelings of care and connection to the place where they live. However, in today’s world, many third places are disappearing and with them, a sense of community is fading.

This decline is partly due to suburban sprawl. Many suburban neighborhoods have “unfunctional zoning” laws that hinder commercial development in residential areas. This prevents the walkable, mixed-use, main streets where businesses can be located that are vital for third places to survive.

Suburban life relies heavily on car transportation; people live in one place and must drive (or rely on limited public transportation) to reach most other destinations, which diminishes the accessibility of third places. For those who can reach third places in suburban areas, another issue often arises: cost. Suburban areas have some free third place options, but many come with a price tag. While many suburban communities once had free or affordable activities, such as those offered at local community centers, they now face the added challenge of inflation, which has raised the cost of these activities. For individuals who cannot afford these activities—or the offerings of local businesses like bowling, dining out, or even a cup of coffee—few accessible options remain.

Some suburban communities do offer free or affordable options, and while transportation can still be an issue, it’s worth noting that these opportunities exist. Keeping an eye on local city websites, Facebook pages, or community group pages is a great way to stay informed about upcoming events. Some communities offer free park activities such as movie screenings or concerts. Local libraries offer affordable activities like crafting, or free activities such as book clubs, educational workshops, or storytime for children. The key to discovering these opportunities is to stay connected to what your local city has to offer.

Malls were made to help create third places in suburban areas, offering a space for people to meet up, go to food courts, or simply hang out. However, malls have also taken business away from smaller, local stores with character and charm that traditionally made ideal third places. Malls also encourage spending on a larger scale, so it is not an ideal option for those with limited finances. Malls are now on a decline and may disappear as a third place option altogether. This is partially due to the rise of internet shopping, which has made the shopping experience simpler and more convenient. Strip malls offer another option for local third spaces in suburbia, but many of these have only a few stores open amid numerous vacant spaces, creating a sense of abandonment and decay.

The COVID-19 pandemic further threatened the viability of third places. With social distancing measures in place, people were encouraged to stay in their home and avoid interacting. While online shopping continued to thrive—benefiting large companies like Amazon—local businesses faced closures, taking away important social spaces.

During the pandemic, social media rose as a form of virtual third place. Friends could communicate with each other virtually through Facebook, Instagram, Snapchat, etc. Others leaned on video games where they could talk to their friends or people from all over the world on the internet in a party chat. While this still allowed people to stay connected, people missed out on the vital face to face interaction that helps a community thrive. The aftermath of this pandemic tendency is that many do not see the point of leaving their homes if they can feel connected virtually.

The question arises: are third places disappearing, or are they evolving? There are merits to either side of the argument. In-person third places contribute to a sense of community and a feeling of belonging and whereas the rise in virtual third places has led to increased feelings of individualism, leading to a decline in local community. On the other hand, virtual third places offer a reprieve from the costs associated with an increasingly expensive world and provide opportunities for people to connect with individuals across the globe. While virtual connections may not strengthen local communities, they contribute to the broader, global community.

This feeling of individualism seems to have become the American suburban norm even after the pandemic has ended. With a shortage of affordable third places and increasing economic instability, people are spending more time at home, watching TV, playing video games, or sitting in front of another screen. This shift promotes an individualistic mindset focused on self and family rather than community, leading to feelings of local isolationism. Without feelings of care for one’s community, efforts to improve it become unlikely.

While third places are less common in suburban areas, they are more easily found in the heart of the cities. Cities are designed to be walkable, and where they are not, reliable public transportation fills the gap. Public transit routes and stops are crucial to the survival of third places. In cities, one can walk to a restaurant, park, barber shop, or any other place of interest on a regular basis. This accessibility allows people to engage with their neighbors, fostering conversations and creating opportunities to plan a better future for their community. Detroit serves as an example of this. Despite the city’s challenges, Detroiters have always taken pride in their community. There is a palpable sense of life in the city-whether it is the Concert of Colors, the Detroit Jazz Festival, or the Marche du Nain Rouge, Detroiters regularly come together to celebrate their city. This spirit of togetherness helps foster a sense of community, which is channeled into efforts like community gardens and beautification programs that improve the city for everyone. The revitalization and life of Detroit gives hope that communities can come together and find a third place despite any troubles in their way.