"Third Places"

A "third place" is defined as a location that is not work or home where social interaction takes place. The third places I observed downtown where Lucy's, Urban Standard, The Rogue Tavern, and Pale Eddie's Pourhouse (future "third place"). Most of the "third places" I observed where coffee shops and bars/taverns. However, "third places" are not limited to these two things; they also include beauty parlors, community centers, cafes, newsstands, and bookstores. "Third places" are important in a community because they allow for something to do and for social interaction. They are a place where people from different work and backgrounds can gather and socialize. A doctor can socialize with a construction worker or an artist can socialize with a lawyer. These third places provide a way for individuals to meet people outside their work. The "social capital" earned in these places is crucial. Social capital is the "worth" of the people you know. The "social capital" you can build in a successful third place is very valuable as was demonstrated by the story of Jammel at Lucy's. This type of "social capital" is not possible in a suburban environment. In suburbia, people are separated by yards, their car, and the great distances between people. In an urban environment such as downtown it is possible to interact with many different kinds of people and build valuable social capital.