Why visit a third environment?
Over the past 10 years, there has been a growing trend of businesses offering an atmosphere where patrons can enjoy various types of coffees, desserts and food while enjoying complimentary Wifi and relaxed, calm environments conducive for reading or work. From the corporate chains like Starbucks and Coffee Bean & Tea Leaf to privately owned cafes, Americans are spending more and more of their free time outside of work and home in these locations. In fact, a news report published by ABC News estimates that the average American worker spends nearly $14.40 a week on coffee, which does not include the cost of drinking coffee at home. Data is shown to indicate that the average worker spends around $1,100 annually on coffee.
With these astounding statistics, I wanted to dig deeper into the subject of the "Third Environment" and discover the top reasons why Americans feel the need to spend a large amount of money (and time) in coffee establishments AND highlight what makes a business the BEST THIRD ENVIRONMENT. Here's what I discovered:
1. Good Coffee + Good Eats
The most common reason stated by patrons is that these coffee shops or cafes offer the gourmet espresso beverages or pastries that they cannot make at home. (The caffeine addiction doesn't hurt business either.)
Top Tip: If you like the food and drinks served at the third environment establishment, make sure to sing their praises on social media and tag their business. These small businesses work very hard to build business and you can help them be successful not just by visiting, but by also promoting them to your sphere of influence.
2. Freebies
Another great plus to the third environment is that it offers FREE Wifi and a FREE space to work or converse with others.
Top Tip: Make sure to find a third environment that has lots of seating, preferably large tables most conducive for work and lots of power outlets for computers or phone cords.
3. Community
Another great reason people enjoy spending time in a third environment is because they can build community by making small talk with other customers in line for coffee, talk about the weather with someone at the next table or just receive a friendly hello from someone they don't know. The beauty about this community is that there are no strings attached and no set expectations. You can come in and leave without saying a word, or you can make yourself more known by carrying on conversations with baristas and other coffee-goers whom you may run into again. No one knows you as their boss, co-worker, babysitter or best friend. You're just a "friendly neighbor" with a smile.
Top Tip: If you are a more outgoing and charismatic personality, try to respect and honor the space and quietness that others want to have in their third environment. Conversations are great, but don't be offended if someone cuts you short and glues their eyes back to their computer.
4. Boost Creative Juices
The human brain may be chemically stimulated through the strong aroma of coffee, but sometimes sitting in a new environment also helps stimulate the creative juices in the brain.
Top Tip: Make sure to pick a third environment that has subtle background music and good lighting. You don't want to spend hours trying to concentrate over loud music and you don't want to strain your eyes for too long. But, remember to bring your headphones if you want complete silence or your own soundtrack.
5. Your Own World
Whatever world you desire most for reading a good book or writing the next New York Times Bestseller, this is a big possibility in the third environment. One of the greatest reasons people daily visit a third environment establishment is to separate for an hour or so from the stresses of life. There's no need to talk to anyone, no need to leave right away and no need to buy a lot of food or drinks. It's an environment that you can create and savor for little while before venturing back into the crazy world.
Top Tip: Venture out into a new place and discover where your community dwells and just maybe you will find a new aspect of yourself that is yearning for creativity, community or just coffee.
Here's a few of our Favorite Third Environments:
Bricks and Scones - Larchmont Village, Los Angeles, CA
Epicenter Cafe - San Francisco, CA
Dollop Coffee & Tea - Chicago, IL
Pushcart Coffee - Chelsea, New York, NY
Sambalatte - Summerlin, Las Vegas, NV
Houndstooth Coffee - Dallas, TX
Metier Cafe - Seattle, WA
