"Most needed are those 'third places' which lend a public balance to the increased privatization of home life. Third places are nothing more than informal public gathering places. The phrase 'third places' derives from considering our homes to be the 'first' places in our lives, and our work places the 'second.'" - Ray Oldenburg
Nice quote. Several years ago Denine and I were part of a missional church plant that spent quite a bit of time discussing how we would fit into the community where we felt led to build a church. One of the concepts we discussed quite often was if we should attempt to become a Third Place like our friends at Prince Street Cafe or if we simply needed to frequent Third Places to meet more local folks. It seemed to us that these places were where people were comfortable to have conversations away from work or home.
It's no surprise that Starbucks has figured out the attraction of a welcoming Third Place. In August 2009, Starbucks stated, "We strive to create a welcoming environment for all of our customers. We do not have any time limits on being in our stores, and continue to focus on making the Third Place experience for every Starbucks customer." Yep, they get it.
I don't patronize the local Starbucks all that much. It is close to my office and I am very pleased that they are currently featuring photos and Beth's story about returning to Kenya. There is nothing wrong with Starbucks and I am usually OK with spending money out, but I can not seem to get over a cup of coffee and muffin costing as much as my lunch (on most days). And I can not seem to get over a single order costing as much as we pay for fresh roasted whole bean coffee at home for a whole week. This is not a rant on Starbucks, I just seem to flinch a little about making it a regular stop. Since I am a music junkie perhaps I am afraid I will scoop up a CD while I am at it and turn my morning coffee stop in to a $25 expense. I'm sure if you examine my life closely you could find a contradiction somewhere in my spending choices.
So, having said that, I have been in "our Starbucks" several times lately. In the back of my mind I am thinking I should part with a little cash there since they are representing Baby Girl. And it is handy since it is just around the corner from the office. When I stop by I do admit that I find myself thinking next time I should think about lingering for a while. I do remember hanging out for an evening last summer to hear a couple guys from our church play in a band. It was a fine evening and I do appreciate the coffee shop sponsoring the event.
Several weeks ago I dropped by for a cup of joe and I noticed an older guy and a younger guy with open bibles at a table. I remember thinking it was nice they chose this spot to meet for their study and conversation. The next time in I noticed three younger guys there with open bibles and having a conversation about what was up with several "Christian" bands.
Then last Sunday I had to swing by the office to open up for a rush production run so I figured I might as well stop by Starbucks for a quick bite before heading to church. There was a stream of people heading in and out dressed in their "Sunday go-to-meeting cloths". One guy thumped down about the biggest bible I've ever actually seen a human carry. Seriously, pets and small children could have been hurt. Look out, The Word is up in the house! I'd say Starbucks really did it's marketing homework.
So what's the deal with Starbucks? Again, my intent here is not to bash Starbucks, but what is up? Are Christians and Christ-followers stopping here to connect with the community, or as a true third place, or is it simply a safe place away from church? Do we need something that is "our place" or can we simply look for places to be in the community? In other words, is Starbucks too safe?
What happens if a couple guys crack a bible (and no, not the 20lb. beast) at the bar at Outback over lunch...or Chilies...or Waffle House...or ...? Yes, I know that Starbucks is comfortable and that can not be overlooked. I'm just thinking about what is involved when we think about doing life in our community together. I hope you take a moment to ponder. Starbucks is a good start, but I think there is more. If you want to meet to discuss perhaps we can grab a cup of coffee...at Starbucks...on me.