Third Places: Key Component of Rural Community Development

Mike Knutson at Reimagine Rural posts a great summary of why "third places" are essential to rural community development. Third places—you know, the coffee shop, the café, the counter at Madison's NAPA store (?)... the place in town where folks gather and swap stories and people-watch. The place that feels like your whole town's living room. The public space outside your home, outside work, where you are free to claim a seat, be seen, and connect with your community.

The kind of space to which our Chamber of Commerce and LAIC have paid little attention in their quest to make Madison better. Julie, Dwaine, Jenny and Shaun Bader, everybody else with a stake in making small towns better, read Mike's list of what third places can do for Madison, Howard, and all small towns:

1. Third places are cool…and rural places could stand a little cool.
2. Third places introduce new people to the community.
3. Third Places improve the quality of life in a community.
4. Third Places are good for tourism.
5. Third places can help improve the business climate in your small town.
6. Third places stimulate creativity.
7. Third Places help people age in place.
8. Third Places can help create jobs. (Jobs, Dwaine! Jobs!!!)
9. Third Places will never be replaced by social networking sites like Facebook.
10. Third Places help build conversation …. and conversation leads to trust.

Brilliant! Read Mike's explanations on each of these points, then come out swinging for third places in your town!

p.s.: Jenny and Shaun, as you get ready to enter the third-place business with Mochavino, Mike and I recommend you read some Ray Oldenburg.