Third places are communal spaces between home and work, like a bar or cafe. Here’s why they’re important for us as individuals—and as a community.

We need physical spaces for serendipitous, productivity-free conversation.

It is inherently human to socialize. Really, it’s inherent to many animals to socialize. However, over the last few years, humans have become increasingly isolated in America. Some say this is due to the rise in online communities; others believe that this is due to the shift in American work weeks. Either way, there is an increase in “loneliness.”

In the late eighties and early nineties, one of the most popular shows on American television was Cheers , set in a sport’s bar, in the heart of the city of Boston.