Here’s where I’ll be!
In 2019 the WOJO coworking spaces launched within Accor hotels worldwide with different offerings, across all segments and today is a major European player in flex third place market.
A brief history of the “third space”
The third place, “a sociology-inspired concept, referring to another place outside the home and work that people can gather and build a sense of community,” has been popularized by Starbucks. And today, the concept of a go-to place outside the home and/or where we work seems to be making a comeback.
But first, let’s take a spin back to the late 2010s when the experience economy and Instagram reinforced the idea that experimenting with new places MATTERED MOST. Maybe it was because I was in LA and then NYC, but the era of “museum of this” and “tasting menu that,” and otherwise a constant chase for new snaps and stories felt all too real.
Redefining what a third place can be
Today, post pandemic, maybe it’s just that I’m a little older, but there seems to be an observable shift back to the third space’s popularity.
Take the rise of co-working spaces. And as of late, the evolution of gyms that double as destinations for both working and working out or hotels offering a desk in lieu of a bed for the day. (Hustle, Travel Weekly, Skift)
Why the rise?
The reason likely reflects a timeless desire with a timely intensity. From the pandemic, our social selves had to completely adjust to new habits and ways of getting together, often in different ways than before. Today third places offered a way to rebuild routine catch-ups. After all, third spaces have a greater degree of built in belonging because they aren’t just places. They’re habits, i.e. places where sometimes the same people also inhabit. And even if a complete stranger often stands in line with you to get coffee, doesn’t it feel comforting?
I can’t tell you how many times I have recently heard someone tell me something like, “we’re basically regulars. We’re trying to make this our spot.” I suppose what’s old is new again. Are we trying to recreate what’s captured in Friends or Seinfeld? Sorta seems that way and companies are more than willing to nudge you to choose them as they place to hang.
So… what are your spots? What’s the place you’re trying to become a regular at?