The Idea of a ‘Third Place’

Oldenburg – People in a community have third places that serve as a third home (aside from your actual home and your workplace). In these third places, people can find comfort and are able to socialize comfortably. Oldenburg believes these places are levelers. “A place that is a leveler is, by its nature, an inclusive place. It is accessible to the general public and does not set formal criteria of membership and exclusion. There is a tendency for individuals to select their associates, friends, and intimates from among those closest to them in social rank. Third places, however, serve to expand possibilities, whereas formal associations tend to narrow and restrict them. Third places counter the tendency to be restrictive in the enjoyment of others by being open to all and by laying emphasis on qualities not confined to status distinctions current in the society. “ This place allows people to view others, workmates, in a different light than would ever be possible at the workplace. It is a home away from home. These places are dominated by their regulars who tend to come often. Third places have low profiles and are about play. Sometimes, third places are more homelike than home.


Zukin – The diversity of the crows, the hustle and bustle, the neighborhoods, and the streets are the soul of the city and help to maintain their identity over a long period of time. The city is defined by its people. All cities are different. Some cities would rather benefit from a large chain store while others would favor a more “authentic”. Cities are only able to survive when they are diverse. “It’s absolutely important … for city governments to make good policies to protect people’s rights to be in a place. “ We must urge governments to make laws to uphold the structures behind a city’s third place.
I liked Oldenburg’s idea of a ‘third place’ and how it was able to establish itself into a part of your life without needing to be explicitly necessary. A third place in my community would be the park, the nearby Starbucks, or even the local library. It is a place where people of different parts of life can come together to socialize or simply “chill out”. These places provide its patrons with a place to go that makes that a larger part of the community and allows them to relieve stress. Some of the independently owned businesses in my area have gone out of business because larger chain stores were able to buy them out. Other reasons may include physical accidents that have forced them to relocate or even health restrictions that have been bringing down their overall restaurant “grade”. While I believe that Oldenburg’s idea of a ‘third place’ was certainly an intriguing one, Zukin’s idea of the diversity brought along by different characters was one that I’ve seen all throughout my time in my neighborhood, Jackson Heights, One prominent example in my neighborhood of a ‘small’ business was the local Trade Fair Supermarket. The supermarket had its problems and was later found to have been exploiting its workers with low wages, but I remember it as the hotspot for most of the South-Asians within the community to share favorite recipes and random gossip. I remember going there with my friends in elementary school to buy snacks and get free sandwiches from the aunties behind the cash register. This changed once the protests rightfully closed down the store and replaced it with a new and polished Key Foods. Everything felt cleaner and more organized – but the homely feeling was gone. Interestingly, fewer people go to the Key Foods than the Trade Fair that once stood there. Those who were devoted to the store that got torn down have now resorted to supermarkets over the highway.