WATCH: The term “Third Place,” another name for “a home away from home,” is trending among Generation Z, who are looking for ways to build community — and local businesses in Athens are responding.  

 

Emily Ezratty was greeted by laughter and the low hum of conversation as she climbed the stairs and entered the spacious, wooden-domed chamber where the Phi Kappa Society was welcoming its newest cohort.

For Ezratty, 20, a third-year student at the University of Georgia and Phi Kappa chief justice and former president, this club is more than just a student organization: it’s her “Third Place,” a home away from home and her community.

 Why It’s Newsworthy: The term “The Third Place” has spiked in trending terms on social media platforms this year as Gen Z discusses new ways to create communities. 

Need for Third Place

Gen Z’s need for “A Third Place,” a term coined by sociologist Ray Oldenburg in his 1989 book “The Great Good Place” to describe social environments outside of home and work, arose during the COVID-19 pandemic. Gen Z, born between 1998 and 2007, felt the isolation of COVID-19 particularly acutely, given they spent most of their high school years locked in their homes.

“I am confident that building up this community and creating these safe spaces can really empower,” Emily said.

Stephanie Hanus, a doctoral candidate studying family dynamics at UGA, said the quality of the social relationships and social ties in the communities we live in, determine, in part, how well we age.

“We know that social support is really important,” Hanus said. “For how individuals age, socially, biologically, all of the aging experiences so based on our networks of social relationships and social ties, based in the communities in which we live, that’s going to influence the agency.”

Companies Meeting Need

Recognizing the need for communal spaces beyond academia, several new businesses have emerged.

Doug Warner, co-owner of “Your 3rd Spot” in Atlanta, created “A Third Place” using a blend of technology and hospitality specifically geared to the evolving needs of the younger generation.

“We felt this strong sense of community before even opening the doors. We knew there was this need more than ever coming out of the pandemic,” Warner said.

His business offers a vibrant social experience, fostering connections and community targeting Gen Zs as they navigate the transition into adulthood and try to find their place in the world.

“We are in the heart of Atlanta, where there is so much to do and people can get lost,” Warner said. “It creates this escape for people where they can come and enjoy others’ company.”

Warner expects the need for spaces like this to grow as Gen Z continues to enter the workforce.

In Athens, two popular hangouts have reopened their doors post-pandemic, catering specifically to the Gen Z crowd.

The Rook and Pawn, a board game cafe, and The Globe, a restaurant and pub, both host events and themed nights designed to encourage socializing and making new connections.

For Phi Kappa members, there’s Little Italy, a staple Athens pizza joint. Every Thursday, halfway through their Phi Kappa meetings, Ezratty and fellow members take a break here. The long table in the back, glowing in neon light, becomes their second “Third Place,” fostering deeper social connections beyond the meeting room.

Future of Third Place

With the approach of college graduation, the importance of having a “Third Place” after college is on Ezratty’s mind.

“I would love to get involved in something else (after graduation), where people are interested in broadening their horizons,” Ezratty said.

Shannon Lorusso is Double Dawg senior majoring in journalism and getting a master’s in Public Relations.