The Third Place Coffeehouse Is In Trouble
THIRD PLACE COFFEEHOUSES are in trouble — those places where we go, other than home or work, for familiarity, belonging and connection. In my latest article, I chronicle the rise of what I call the “utilitarian caffeine dispenser,”, or UCD — drive-thru-only huts or pickup-only depots with very limited or no seating — and explain why it poses such an existential threat to the traditional coffeehouses we know and love, at precisely a moment when the existence of such spaces has arguably never been more critical. I then proceed to outline some ways in which communities can take action.