Getting out of the House

The emergence of the "Third Place" in Northeast Florida

At Chancho King, an Ecuadorian cafe and gathering spot in Jacksonville's Murray Hill neighborhood. Photos by Mara Strobel-Lanka.

The term “Third Place” may not be widely known, but it’s quietly been answering some common questions for decades: What do I do after work? What's for dinner? Where’s everybody hanging out? Coined by American sociologist Ray Oldenburg, “third place” refers to spaces outside of the home (the first place) and the workplace (the second place) where people go to connect with their community. These spaces require a few key components: accessibility, low or no entry cost and, perhaps most essentially, conversation. More loosely defined, they're the places where we meet new friends and keep up with old ones, where we flock for inspiration and escape, where we run inside to dodge the literal and metaphorical rain and where we find a home away from home.

Today, many of the third places we grew up with are going extinct. Malls of the past are now empty or under construction, paving the way for a whole new era of social interaction. The social clubs, riverfront parks and open-air concepts coming up behind them package cherished community values with a refreshed facade. There are several upcoming projects that are launching in response to the growing demand for third places. The Block is a meeting place coming to Jacksonville's Southside, consisting of shipping containers filled with many favorite local food and drink vendors. The Phoenix Arts & Innovation District in Jacksonville’s North Springfield neighborhood offers a destination for artists to work and the community to play. The newly opened Riverfront Plaza is a scenic meeting place that draws families and friends downtown, while The June is an elevated and exclusive private members club where taste, atmosphere and attention to detail reign supreme. These spaces have captured the attention and funding of developers and the anticipation of residents across Northeast Florida. If their success surpasses the buzz surrounding their openings, there will be a new crowd of third spaces following in their footsteps.

Daniel Moffat, owner of K9 Social and The Block, immediately said, “That's us!” when I shared the definition of third places with him. The idea behind his new venture is for North Florida families to have a place to spend their whole day: from morning fitness to afternoon football to dinner with friends, where dogs and kids can run around freely and safely. “I know there's a need for it because I see it any time I go out with my kids,” says Moffat. “Why isn't there a place where families can go and have fun and parents don't have to stick an iPad in their faces?”

Phoenix Jax has already added galleries, coworking spaces and event venues to its district, but its plans don't stop there. According to vice president and chief experience officer Emily Moody, the eight-plus acres they're designating for food halls, retail, outdoor classrooms, greenspace and housing are newly designed but they all pay homage to the original buildings and the area's history. “When I travel,” Moody says, “I seek out places like this, like what we're building. I think this will truly be a destination for people near and far.”

“Third place and placemaking are synonymous,” says Haley Wright Tinkle, director of events at Downtown Vision and community organizer behind Grl Crafts and Chunky and Funky. As part of her full-time job, she has been part of the team behind Sip & Stroll, Art Walk and other events that have drawn thousands of people to gather in Jacksonville's urban core. In her free time, she curates craft meetups and plus-size clothing swaps that have given folks across the region an inclusive way to meet new, like-minded friends. “The more niche or curated a third place is, the greater sense of belonging it fosters in its community,” says Wright Tinkle.

What's better than a third place outside of work and home? A third place outside of work and home where you share something in common, something to connect over, with everyone you meet. That something could be as broad as a neighborhood or as specific as a hobby, the connection as brief as a shared drink or as long-lasting as a relationship. This sentiment helps predict which of the upcoming third places will thrive in the coming years. The spaces that stand the test of time will be the rooms, clubs and parks where we feel most at home, the ones we bring our friends and family to and can’t stay away from.

“One of the crowning achievements as a human being is becoming a regular somewhere,” says Wright Tinkle. She jokingly calls Murray Hill's beloved Chancho King, “church,” which is one of her favorite third places. “I get that same feeling when I'm sitting around a table sharing a meal with the humans that I love, eating some of the best food in town and the owners are coming out and sitting down with us… and it's just pure magic,” she says. “It's my church.”

Third places are by no means a new invention, but they are evolving alongside our area’s modern needs. They may mark a trend in Northeast Florida’s development, but they’re also here to stay. As we welcome The Block, Phoenix Arts + Innovation and a plethora of waterfront parks, coworking spaces and membership clubs to Northeast Florida, we’re also greeting endless opportunities for new conversations, routines, collaborations and friends.

What’s in the forecast for 2026? Brand new places to explore outside of home and work.